LONDON: Iran has denied British ministers’ suggestion that more than half a billion dollars paid for the release of two hostages have been paid for in humanitarian spending.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, told reporters on Thursday that the $530 million paid to Iran had already been transferred to the treasury and was not being secured by any other country.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the money was guarded for the purchase of humanitarian goods – but Iranian officials dispute this.
“This money is in full possession of Iran and the way the amount is repaid is completely subject to the decision of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Khatibzadeh said.
Both the UK and Tehran have sought to ease the link between the $530 million handed over to Iran – a historic debt resulting from an unfinished order for thousands of tanks by the republic’s former government – and the number of detained double nationals. Number. Riha Nazneen Zagri – Ratcliffe and Anushey Ashuri.
Truss said the money was paid “in parallel” with freeing the hostages, while the Iranian daily newspaper Keehan said Britain had been “forced” by Iran to pay off debts.
Dozens of Iranian dual nationals and foreign nationals are being held in Iranian prisons or barred from leaving the country as part of efforts to gain leverage with Western countries.
The release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ashuri comes against the backdrop of late talks between the US and Tehran on returning to an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear research in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian said: “We are closer than ever to reaching an agreement, but a good and lasting agreement can determine that there is realistic behavior by the US, and there are no new and wrong demands.” ” ,