TEHRAN, Iran — Iran and Britain are discussing the possible release of some 400 million pounds ($530 million) held by London since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, an Iranian official acknowledges.
Both Britain and Iran deny any link between the possible money transfer and the detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman who is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly planning the “soft toppling” of Iran’s government while traveling with her young daughter.
However, a similar US transfer to Iran happened at the same time American prisoners were released in 2016.
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson faces tremendous criticism at home over his handling of Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case. Iranian media have speculated that Johnson may visit Iran soon.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi is quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying that the 400 million pounds held by London is a payment Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made for Chieftain tanks that were never delivered. The shah abandoned the throne in 1979 and the Islamic Revolution soon installed the clerical rule that endures today.
Sanctions between the countries have stopped the money being returned.
— AP
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