Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: Boris Johnson to voice 'grave concerns' during Iran trip
The Foreign Secretary meets with Iranian Foreign Minister to discuss "consular issues" including jailed British mother.
Saturday 9 December 2017 16:40, UK
Boris Johnson has arrived in Iran, to express "grave concerns" over jailed British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
The Foreign Secretary met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif in Tehran to discuss "a number of consular cases involving dual nationals".
It is the first trip of a British Foreign Secretary to Iran since 2015 and only the third since 2003. Mr Johnson started a three-day tour of Oman, Iran and the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year sentence for allegedly planning to overthrow the government - a claim she and her family have always denied.
She was arrested in April 2016 at Tehran airport after visiting her relatives with her daughter.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has always stressed that the trip was a holiday, but she was jailed for sedition after authorities linked her to mass protests in 2009.
Before the visit, Mr Johnson said: "I will stress my grave concerns about our dual national consular cases and press for their release where there are humanitarian grounds to do so."
:: Richard Ratcliffe: My fight to free Nazanin from jail in Iran
After their meeting, the Iranian Foreign Ministry released a statement which read: The two sides discussed various matters including economic, banking and trade relations.
"The UK foreign secretary said the JCPOA (nuclear deal) is very valuable to the UK and emphasised his country's commitment to its full implementation."
Mr Jonson did not speak to reporters.
His previous involvement in the case resulted in him having to apologise for a remark that might have potentially lengthened Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's jail time.
He said he had understood she was "teaching journalists" while in Iran, which she denies. Authorities used this as justification for new charges against her of "spreading propaganda".
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe' husband said she could face another 16 years in prison, but an Iranian judiciary spokesman said last month that her verdict had been finalised.
It is understood she faces another trial on Sunday.
Also on the agenda of the visit - Mr Johnson's first to the country as Foreign Secretary - are issues ranging from the bilateral relationship to regional security.
"Iran is a significant country in a strategically important, but volatile and unstable, region which matters to the UK's security and prosperity," Mr Johnson said.
"My first visit is an opportunity to hold further discussions on a series of crucial issues, including how we can find a political solution to the devastating conflict in Yemen and secure greater humanitarian access to ease the immense suffering there."
Mr Johnson said he wanted the visit to be "constructive", but admitted that "on many issues we will not agree" despite improvements to relations in recent years.
Also on Mr Johnson's agenda with Mr Zarif is a landmark nuclear accord sealed in 2015, after President Donald Trump threw its future into doubt.
He will meet with President Hassan Rouhani, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and other officials in the course of the day.
The Government is considering repaying around £400m from a pre-1979 arms deal, but both sides say it is not to do with Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
However, the US made a similar payment as Iran released four of its citizens in 2016.