Boris Johnson in Iran to discuss jailed Briton s release

Tehran Dec 9 (IANS) British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson arrived in Iran on Saturday to address the case of a British-Iranian citizen detained in Tehran since 2016.

Johnson was set to discuss the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was arrested while visiting her three-year-old daughter in Iran.

He is scheduled to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as well as a number of officials including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif according to Iran s state-run news agency IRNA.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was charged with attempting to overthrow the Iranian government a charge she has denied.

However her case worsened last month when Johnson told the British Parliament that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in Iran to give journalism classes.

Johnson s statement for which he later apologized has since been used by the Iranian authorities to back their accusations against Zaghari-Ratcliffe Efe news reported.

While in Iran the British Foreign Secretary will also discuss issues of mutual concern with Tehran regarding the Middle East and the progress of Iran s nuclear agreement.

--IANS
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