Seyyed Mohammad Ayatollahi, an official with the Iranian embassy, criticized the ruling and expressed hope that the appeals court would overturn the verdict.

“The Baku Court on Grave Crimes should address such cases in the presence of an authorized lawyer and the representative of the Iranian embassy,” Ayatollahi said on Saturday.

The Iranian official added that the Islamic Republic considers protecting this Iranian national as its duty and will pursue the matter.

On Friday, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes sentenced Iranian national Bahram Feyzi to 15 years in prison on charges of espionage.

HH/HH