Contributions
1,953 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend the Chairman of the Select Committee is absolutely right to say that the blame lies with the Iranian regime—not even with the Iranian people but with the Iranian…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI completely understand the passion with which the hon. Lady speaks and I can hear the anger and frustration in her voice. However, her anger and frustration are misdirected,…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeIran’s decision to sentence Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on further charges is totally inhumane and wholly unjustified. This Government remain committed to doing all that we can to…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my hon. Friend for his point about the granting of diplomatic status. That sends a signal to Iran of how seriously we take the issue of our British dual nationals. This…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that this whole House shares the frustration at the situation that these people find themselves in, through no fault of their own. We will,…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend—my dear hon. Friend—makes an incredibly important point. If Iran wants to be taken seriously and to speak with authority on the international stage, it must change…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my hon. Friend for the points she raises about the international nature of this situation. Of course, we work closely with our international partners —as I have said, with…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI sincerely hope that he is not right. We will continue to work to bring Nazanin home and for the release of all British dual nationals. Their incarceration is unacceptable,…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe legal situation with the IMS debt has been settled. It is a multi-decade-long problem, and we are investigating ways by which this can be resolved.27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeAs I have said, we engage regularly at the most senior levels with the Iranian Government. We had diplomatic engagement to secure Nazanin’s initial furlough and the removal of the…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend makes an important point about Iran’s broader destabilising actions. I will not speculate as to future decisions about sanctions, for the reason that I gave to the…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe situation of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and the other British dual nationals held in detention is the fault of the Iranian regime. We must never lose sight of that. It has the…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeAs I said in response to the previous question, we work with and will continue to work with our international friends and partners on a range of issues with regard to Iran and its…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeSadly, what this sentence proves is that Iran is willing to do anything to attempt to apply diplomatic leverage, using British dual nationals as the tool. We will never accept…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe UK does not and will never accept dual nationals being used for political leverage, so I am not going to amplify whatever claims the Iranian regime have made about them. Our…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank my right hon. Friend for reinforcing the point that, as well as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, there are other British dual nationals incarcerated. The UK Government work…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. The various functions within the United Nations are separate from each other. However, she does raise a broader point about the…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe Government work on behalf of all the British dual nationals, whether they be held in detention, open prison or elsewhere, and indeed of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe so that she can…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe UK Government take the rights of women very seriously, and, indeed, one of the priorities as set out for our official development assistance expenditure is girls’ education.…27 Apr 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeI thank the hon. Lady for the point that she has raised and the work that I know she has done in support of her constituent. We are aware—we have been in contact, and we are…27 Apr 2021