Britain has settled a £400-million ($523-million) debt with Iran as two dual nationals held in the country for years headed home, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says.
“The IMS (International Military Services) debt has been settled in full compliance with UK and international sanctions and all legal obligations,” Truss says in a statement.
The announcement comes as British-Iranian nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori fly out of Tehran after years in prison there; a third detainee, Morad Tahbaz, was released from prison on furlough to his house in Tehran.
The UK has consciously avoided saying the detention of dual nationals in Iran was linked to the debt, related to an order of tanks that was canceled after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Truss has said the issues were separate and blamed sanctions on Iran for delaying the repayment.
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