Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances a British national is granted diplomatic protection in consular cases; what were the reasons for granting such protection for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and whether they will grant similar diplomatic protection to Anoosheh Ashoori.

Diplomatic protection is a mechanism under international law according to which a State may seek to secure reparation for injury to one of its nationals, on the basis that the second State has committed an internationally wrongful act against the national. It is the right of the State to raise with another State the question of treatment of one of its nationals by that other State and to call that other State to account on the international plane. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given Diplomatic Protection in March 2019. Mr Ashoori’s release is a top priority for the Foreign Secretary and we will continue to review when best to deploy the tools that we have to secure his release. FCDO has been supporting Mr Ashoori's family since we became aware of his detention. The Foreign Secretary has remained in contact with the family to reinforce the UK's efforts to bring him home and last met with them on 18 November.