Foreign Secretary issues a statement following the departure from Iran of
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, and the release
of Morad Tahbaz from prison.
Foreign Secretary said:
After years of detention by the Government of Iran, British
Nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori will
return from Iran today. Morad Tahbaz has also been released from
prison on furlough. It is the result of tenacious and creative
British diplomacy.
Nazanin has been held in Iran for almost six years, and Anoosheh
almost five. Morad has been in prison for four. They will be
reunited with their families and loved ones.
Their release is the result of years of hard work and dedication
by our brilliant diplomats, and intensive efforts over the past
six months. I pay tribute to my predecessors and the Prime
Minister, who have all worked hard to resolve this issue.
We have the deepest admiration for the resolve, courage and
determination Nazanin, Anoosheh and Morad, and their families,
have shown. They have faced hardship that no family should ever
experience and this is a moment of great relief.
In parallel, we have also settled the IMS debt, as we said we
would.
I made resolving the continued detention of British nationals and
the IMS debt payment my top priorities when I entered office in
September 2021. In my first week, I spoke to the families of all
the detainees and met my Iranian counterpart in New York.
Last October and November I dispatched a team of Foreign Office
negotiators to Tehran to secure the release of the detainees.
Last December I met Omani Foreign Minister Badr to secure Oman’s
diplomatic assistance. We are grateful to our friends in Oman for
their support in securing the return of our nationals.
Last month I spoke twice to Iranian Foreign Minister
Amir-Abdollahian in a final push to bring negotiations to a
successful conclusion. Our officials then held a last round of
negotiations to sign off an agreement allowing Nazanin
Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori to return to the UK, and
Morad Tahbaz to be released on furlough to his house in Tehran.
The IMS debt has been settled in full compliance with UK and
international sanctions and all legal obligations. These funds
will be ring-fenced solely for the purchase of humanitarian
goods.
