Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Beebo

Veteran
The really sad and frustrating thing about all this is that they could have been freed a long time ago if we were going to pay the money we owed Iran.

Why wait so long? What has changed?
Someone on the radio last night who suggested that the money had been sat in a escrow account for 40 years, wait to be paid. I’m not sure I believe them.

But paying it has been difficult due to sanctions. It was effectively money for arms, which is illegal.
 

BoldonLad

Old man on a bike. Not a member of a clique.
Location
South Tyneside
I recall, there was an Iranian Naval Ship, built on the River Tyne, in late 1970's, and, subsequently held there for about 8 years. As I recall, this was all part of an arms embargo (what we would now call sanctions, I suppose) after the overthrow of the Shah. The vessel (Kharg) was subsequently delivered minus it's gun(s). Don't know if this could be connected with the UK debt? There is (not very flattering) account of it leaving the River Tyne here.
 

Milkfloat

Active Member
The Americans managed to pay back their debt 6 years ago in a carbon copy of the UK situation. I don’t think there was anything holding us back that was insurmountable. My suggestion is the our need for oil may have finally forced our hand. If my family were treated like this there is no way I would let any government minister near me for a photo op.
 
Someone on the radio last night who suggested that the money had been sat in a escrow account for 40 years, wait to be paid. I’m not sure I believe them.

But paying it has been difficult due to sanctions. It was effectively money for arms, which is illegal.
As i understand it was held because of the uk only delivered 200mil worth of tanks out of a 600mil deal and then cancelled the order because of the shah being overthrown. So money of arms is a bit strange it would be merely an refund because we didn't want to deliver the arms because of a changed political situation.
 

icowden

Legendary Member
As i understand it was held because of the uk only delivered 200mil worth of tanks out of a 600mil deal and then cancelled the order because of the shah being overthrown. So money of arms is a bit strange it would be merely an refund because we didn't want to deliver the arms because of a changed political situation.
i think the concern was that if the money was handed over it could be used to buy weapons from elsewhere. I think the breakthrough has been that Iran has promised not to buy weapons with it. Of course, they are wholly trustworthy and didn't at all have their fingers crossed.
 
i think the concern was that if the money was handed over it could be used to buy weapons from elsewhere. I think the breakthrough has been that Iran has promised not to buy weapons with it. Of course, they are wholly trustworthy and didn't at all have their fingers crossed.
Well before Trump we felt ok for some time to buy oils from them, i'm not very sure but confident that it might be more than 400mil so they could have saved this 2 poeple a Iranian jail by sorting out there sh!t earlier.
 

icowden

Legendary Member
Well before Trump we felt ok for some time to buy oils from them, i'm not very sure but confident that it might be more than 400mil so they could have saved this 2 poeple a Iranian jail by sorting out there sh!t earlier.
Yes, but when she was imprisoned, the Foreign Secretary was Boris "would you like a longer prison sentence, this is too complicated, I might have to do some work, who gives a monkeys" Johnson. He was then replaced by the similarly useless Dominic "the sea is closed" Raab.

Happily Liz "instagram campaign for leader" Truss was able to make herself look good secure Nazanin's release by asking Iran to ring fence the £400 mil for humanitarian use.
 
Yes, but when she was imprisoned, the Foreign Secretary was Boris "would you like a longer prison sentence, this is too complicated, I might have to do some work, who gives a monkeys" Johnson. He was then replaced by the similarly useless Dominic "the sea is closed" Raab.

Happily Liz "instagram campaign for leader" Truss was able to make herself look good secure Nazanin's release by asking Iran to ring fence the £400 mil for humanitarian use.
With so much overly competent politicians we don't need enemy's right?
 
Liz is good on markets.
She's probably trying to flog some pork to the Iranians as we speak....
That. Is. A. Disgrace.
 

mudsticks

Squire
I like how she wouldn’t be drawn into thanking the Foreign Minister (any of them) for her release. Good on her.
Let's face it Nazanin is going to have had to be pretty resilient and strong of mind to stay sane over the last few years.

Resisting the urge to kowtow to the incompetent, buffoons who prolonged her incarceration shouldn't be too much effort compared with all that.

And as for Mr Bannerman.

What an utter bellend.
 
Top Bottom