Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Elizabeth Truss Excerpts

Friday 18th March 2022 Ministerial Corrections

The following are extracts from a statement on Iran Detainees on 16 March 2022.

[Elizabeth Truss]

On the subject of Morad Tahbaz, who I spoke to at the end of last year when he was in prison, we have secured his release on furlough. He is now at home. That was an important point that we pressed with the Iranian Government. I know from speaking to him that the conditions in prison were abhorrent and appalling, so he is now in better conditions, but of course we will continue to get him home, as well as other detainees who do not want their names released in public.

[Official Report, 16 March 2022, Vol. 710, c. 945.]

Letter of correction from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs:

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy).

The correct response should have been:

[Elizabeth Truss]

On the subject of Morad Tahbaz, we have secured his release on furlough. He is now at home. That was an important point that we pressed with the Iranian Government. I know that the conditions in prison were abhorrent and appalling, so he is now in better conditions, but of course we will continue to get him home, as well as other detainees who do not want their names released in public.

[Elizabeth Truss]

The Tahbaz family and I have spoken today. It is a very difficult situation. Morad Tahbaz is of course a tri-national—US, UK and Iranian—and the Iranian Government treat him as being a US national as well as a UK national. We pushed very hard to get Morad out of prison. I spoke to him when he was in prison and he was in appalling conditions. I am pleased to say that I have been in touch today and he is now back at his house—with security in place—with his family in Tehran.

[Official Report, 16 March 2022, Vol. 710, c. 949.]

Letter of correction from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs:

An error has been identified in the response I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington (Felicity Buchan).

The correct response should have been:

[Elizabeth Truss]

The Tahbaz family and I have spoken today. It is a very difficult situation. Morad Tahbaz is of course a tri-national—US, UK and Iranian—and the Iranian Government treat him as being a US national as well as a UK national. We pushed very hard to get Morad out of prison. I am pleased to say that I have been in touch today and he is now back at his house—with security in place—with his family in Tehran.