Iran FM says dual national freed based on humanitarian ground

Nazanin Zaghari and Anousheh Ashouri who had been jailed in Iran for 6 years on espionage charges were released on Wednesday by Iranian judicial authorities and were handed over to British authorities and flew to the UK on board a plane.

The Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said about their case that the two dual nationals were released based on humanitarian grounds.

Amir-Abdollahian said that linking their release with unfreezing $530 UK's dues to Iran were wrong.

However, the top diplomat added that Iran received the UK dues few days ago.

The UK owed Iran almost £400 million over an upfront payment made by the former Shah of Iran to Britain to buy 1,750 Chieftain tanks and other military vehicles. 

The UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had already confirmed that the £400 million that Britain owes Iran is a “legitimate debt” and that the UK government wants to pay it to Tehran.

Elsewhere, the foreign minister said that the United States has accepted 2 out of 4 main Iran's demands in the Vienna talks, adding that if Washington responds positively to the two other demands, he will go to Vienna to sign the agreement.

MNA