Boris Johnson in Iran to discuss jailed Briton's release

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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