Press release

Foreign Secretary meeting with Richard Ratcliffe

皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson held a positive meeting with Richard Ratcliffe about Iran鈥檚 continued imprisonment of his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meets Richard Ratcliffe

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meets Richard Ratcliffe at the FCO, King Charles Street.

皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary updated Mr Ratcliffe on the FCO鈥檚 efforts on behalf of his wife, and said that the British Ambassador in Iran had once again raised the case with the Iranians this morning and urged:

  • consular access
  • appropriate medical treatment
  • a decision on Richard Ratcliffe鈥檚 visa application
  • access for Richard Ratcliffe to see his wife if a visit does go ahead

皇冠体育appy discussed Mr Ratcliffe鈥檚 recent suggestion of diplomatic protection. 皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary and officials outlined that the key question is whether diplomatic protection will have a positive impact on the case, given all the representations that have already been made. 皇冠体育appy agreed that lawyers should meet in the coming fortnight to discuss it further.

皇冠体育appy also talked about the Foreign Secretary鈥檚 plan to visit Iran before the end of the year and Richard Ratcliffe鈥檚 request to accompany him on that visit. 皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary said that our overriding principle in handling this case is to secure a permanent family reunion, not a temporary one. Any decision must be guided by that principle.

皇冠体育app Foreign Secretary concluded the meeting by saying that no stone would be left unturned in the case of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and that of our other dual nationals detained in Iran.

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Published 15 November 2017