Thread by @CeriThomas01

For months, I’ve investigated the link between a 43 year-old debt which the UK owes to Iran and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s imprisonment. Here’s a thread about what I’ve learned.

British ministers used to deny the debt was connected to Nazanin’s detention. No longer. Paying Iran now amounts, effectively, to settled government policy

For opponents of ransom payments it’s an uncomfortable truth that Nazanin’s detention as a hostage has ‘coincided’ with the adoption of that policy

I set out in search of a single, overarching reason why the debt hasn’t been settled in more than four decades. I don’t think there is a single reason.

Instead, a litany of misjudgements. Whitehall has been riven with disagreements. A lack of political will, institutional inertia and deference to the USA. Result: Nazanin has remained a hostage.

Since 2016, Nazanin has come close to release 3 times: in 2017/19/21. Each time, a new obstacle. Most recently, US determined to bring all the hostages home at the same time.

Iran is to blame for the hostage crisis and only it could end it tomorrow. But UK inaction leaves Nazanin, Anoosheh Ashoori and others in a desperate situation

All this is in Nazanin on @BBCRadio4 at 1.45pm every day this week.

Thanks and admiration to Richard Ratcliffe and Sherry Izadi #freenazanin #freeanoosheh @FreeNazanin @freeanoosheh. Produced by @tortoise