Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 30 December 2015 (HL4261) and 2 February (HL5328), how the US and Canada have succeeded in having political prisoners in Iran freed while dual UK national Kamal Foroughi remains incarcerated.

We welcome the release of US and Canadian prisoners held in Iran. Iran has not changed its policy of not recognising dual nationality. However we continue to raise our own consular cases, including Mr Foroughi, with the Iranians at the highest levels and to urge for their release, including during Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif’s recent visit to London.