Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the (a) UK Ambassador to Iran or (b) other UK diplomatic personnel were present at the court hearing of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on 2 November 2020.

It is appalling that Iran has brought new charges against Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and threatened her with a return to prison. We had formally requested the UK Government's attendance to support her at her hearing through a Note Verbale to the Iranian Government, but we were not permitted access to the trial. We also summoned the Iranian Ambassador on 29 October to raise concerns over her treatment. We welcome the fact that her trial has been adjourned and she has not been sent back to prison for the moment - we have been consistently clear that she must not be re-incarcerated. We continue to raise her case at the most senior levels, and discuss it at every opportunity with our Iranian counterparts. The Foreign Secretary has done so repeatedly with Foreign Minister Zarif. Our Ambassador in Tehran consistently discusses all of our dual British national detainees with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.