Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to secure the release of Ghoncheh Ghavami from prison in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

We are deeply concerned by the detention of Ghoncheh Ghavami as well as other dual British/Iranian nationals detained in Iran. We have repeatedly pressed the Iranian Government over her welfare and our concerns about due process in her case. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed the matter with President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif respectively in September. The UK’s non resident Chargé d’Affaires has raised Ms Ghavami’s case regularly with his Iranian counterpart, including most recently on 14 November. The FCO is providing consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.