Recommendation 59

The FCDO has rightly stated that the detention of British and dual nationals by Iran falls outside the parameters of the Convention which was clearly designed for the specific purpose of combatting individual hostage-takers, rather than state-backed actors.134 Nevertheless, witnesses understandably drew parallels between the motives of individual hostage-takers, as defined by the Convention, and those which have been expressed by members of the Iranian executive. Janet Daby MP argued that the case of Anoosheh Ashoori seemed commensurate with Iran’s strategy of “hostage diplomacy”135 and Tulip Siddiq MP additionally noted that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has repeatedly been told that her unlawful detention since 2016 is linked to the UK’s historic International Military Services (IMS) debt owed to Iran.136 Indeed, Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband has referred to her as a hostage, as has her legal team.137 The FCDO has been conspicuous in its reluctance 129 Foreign Secretary affords Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe diplomatic protection, FCO, 7 March 2019 130 Iran rejects UK claim of diplomatic status for Zaghari-Ratcliffe, The Guardian, Patrick Wintour, 8 March 2019 131 Tulip Siddiq MP (UKI0032), para 25 132 HC Deb, 7 October 2019, col 1570 133 International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, United Nations, accessed 8 September 2020 134 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UKI0031), para 18 135 Janet Daby MP (UKI0030), para 5.1 136 Tulip Siddiq MP (UKI0032), paras 12–13 137 Q18 [Charlie Loudon]; Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ‘held hostage’ by Iran, says husband, The Guardian, Patrick Wintour, 9 September 2020 No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationship with Iran 23 to refer to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as a hostage, and a spokesperson for the then Prime Minister Theresa May stated in 2017 that the IMS debt was not being linked with efforts to secure Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release.138