Iran and Britain Fail to Agree on Old Debt Interest, 'Reason for Continued Imprisonment of Zaghari'

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari, stated in a statement released on Thursday, March 3, that according to the judge in Zaghari's case, the lack of agreement between Iran and Britain over the interest on an old debt is the reason for her continued imprisonment. Nazanin Zaghari, an employee of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, has been accused by the Revolutionary Guard of collaborating with institutions opposing the Islamic Republic and participating in 'soft overthrow' activities, and the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years in prison. She was arrested by the Revolutionary Guard on April 3, 2016, while attempting to leave Iran, and has been imprisoned since then, with her young child living with Zaghari's family in Tehran. Previously, the Telegraph reported that the British government had expressed readiness to repay £400 million (equivalent to $527 million) to Iran for an old debt in exchange for Zaghari's release. The matter of London's debt to Tehran dates back about 40 years when the then-Iranian government paid £600 million to Britain for the purchase of 1,750 Chieftain tanks. Now, Richard Ratcliffe, based on a conversation that Nazanin Zaghari had with her judge on Wednesday, says that negotiations over the repayment of the debt have been entrusted to the Foreign Ministry under Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the two governments of Iran and Britain have yet to agree on the interest of this old debt. In Ratcliffe's statement, this reason is cited for Zaghari's continued imprisonment. According to this statement, as Zaghari recounted to her family after her conversation with the judge, the judge asked her to agree to be placed under house arrest in a safe house with her child, but Zaghari and her husband completely disagree with this proposal. According to Nazanin Zaghari, 'either my parents' house or nowhere.' The judge proposed house arrest instead of granting leave to this prisoner. In Richard Ratcliffe's statement, the name of the judge is mentioned as 'Judge Abbasi, responsible for judicial affairs at Evin Prison.' According to the Zaghari family's statement, the judge introduced the Revolutionary Guard as opposing Zaghari's leave and stated that 'the Guard is concerned that if we grant you leave, you will not return to prison.' According to Zaghari in a phone conversation with her mother, 'They are embarrassed to keep me in prison for the third year, so they propose this.' The judge also told Zaghari that as soon as a decision is made regarding her release, she will be handed over to the British embassy in Tehran and will immediately leave Tehran. The Islamic Republic of Iran states that it does not recognize dual nationality and considers those entering the country with an Iranian passport as Iranian citizens. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also previously stated about Nazanin Zaghari: 'Ms. Zaghari is Iranian and has been convicted according to our judicial system and is serving her sentence.' According to Nazanin Zaghari addressing the judge, 'You will not grant me freedom or leave until you get that damn money.'