Foreign Office minister calls on Iran to release British-born environmentalist

A Foreign Office minister has called on Iran to release a British-born environmentalist from the notorious Evin prison.

Lord Ahmad said Iranian authorities are subjecting Morad Tahbaz, 66, to a “horrendous ordeal” by imprisoning him again months after he was released on furlough with an electronic tag.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) minister said: “The Tahbaz family have confirmed that Morad has been returned to Evin prison by the Iranian authorities.

“By continuing his horrendous ordeal with these cruel tactics, Iran sends a clear message to the international community that Iran does not deliver on its commitments.

“We call on Iran to release Morad so he may rejoin family in Tehran immediately.

“We will continue to work closely with our US partners to hold Iran to account, and to secure Morad’s permanent release and departure from Iran.”

Responding to the news, Amnesty International urged Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to increase pressure on the Iranian authorities for Mr Tahbaz’s release, and meet with his family.

Sacha Deshmukh, the charity’s UK chief executive, said: “This is of course terrible news for Morad and a very distressing development for his family.

“Morad is a conservationist who should never have been jailed in the first place, and we want to see the Foreign Secretary stepping up pressure on the Iranian authorities to secure his immediate and unconditional release, and his return to the UK along with his wife Vida.

“The Foreign Secretary must urgently meet with the family to outline the UK’s plans to secure Morad’s freedom, while pushing hard for full and unfettered consular access while Morad remains in detention.”

Mr Tahbaz, a prominent conservationist and board member of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, was arrested during a crackdown on environmental activists in January 2018.

The British-Iranian national was sentenced to 10 years in prison with his colleagues on vague charges of spying for the US and undermining Iran’s security.

His wife has also been placed under a travel ban by the Iranian authorities.

Mr Tahbaz was freed from prison on furlough on the day Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and fellow dual national Anoosheh Ashoori were freed and allowed to return to the UK in March, but he was returned to custody after just two days.

In July, Mr Tahbaz was allowed medical care on another temporary furlough with his family in the Iranian capital Tehran on the condition he wore an ankle bracelet.