HISTORIC debts owed by the UK Government to Iran are “unrelated” to the detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a foreign office minister has said.

James Cleverly told the Commons that the 40-year-old, £400 million debt is not linked to the case of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arrested in April 2016, but that the UK Government is “deeply concerned” about new charges issued against the British national, whose sister-in-law is a GP in Cwmbran.

But Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, who represents Hampstead and Kilburn where Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family live, urged the Government not to deny the link between her constituent’s imprisonment and the debt owed.

MORE NEWS:

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy also called on the UK Government to resolve the issue of the historic debts and called the treatment of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe by Iranian officials as “tantamount to mental torture”.

It comes as it was confirmed that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has avoided being returned to prison in Iran after appearing in court on new charges of spreading propaganda against the regime.

The 42-year-old British-Iranian dual national was told she would be returned to Evin prison in Tehran following Monday’s hearing, but it was adjourned before she could put forward a defence, her husband Richard Ratcliffe said.

She has been detained in Iran since 2016, when she was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government.

Ms Siddiq told the Commons: “I know the Government has continuously denied the link between the debt that we owe Iran and Nazanin’s imprisonment.

“But burying our heads in the sand is costing my constituent her life.

“I want to raise the issue of the debt, the £400 million debt that we owe Iran. The date for the court hearing for the debt was meant to be today but last week we were told that this was being postponed.

“On the very same day last week, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was told that she faces trumped-up new charges against her.”

But, calling on the Iranian Government to make Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release permanent, Mr Cleverly replied: “These are unrelated issues, however, the adjournment of the November hearing is at the request of the Iranian Ministry of Defence.

“It would be inappropriate for me to comment further on ongoing legal positions with regard to that.”

Ms Nandy added: “Almost two months ago, I asked the Foreign Secretary (Dominic Raab) about the historic debts that are owed and specifically whether he agrees with his own Defence Secretary (Ben Wallace) that there is a debt to be paid. The Foreign Secretary did.

“At an Iranian foreign ministry press briefing yesterday, officials repeated their pursuit of this debt. Now, no-one in this House accepts the legitimacy of any direct link between the debt and the arbitrary detention of dual-nationals, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Anoosheh Ashoori and others.

“But resolving this issue, which has dragged on for decades where there is a clear UK legal obligation, where the Defence Secretary has described the UK’s behaviour as ‘un-British’ and ‘obfuscatory’, holds the prospect of putting our relations with Iran on a better footing.”

The shadow foreign secretary told MPs: “The adjournment of Nazanin’s hearing on Monday delays a potential further miscarriage of justice but it also delays any prospect of a conclusion to a truly unimaginable ordeal.

“We believe that the threat of re-incarceration, alongside constant harassment by members of Iran’s revolutionary guard, repeated delay to judicial hearings and levelling of false charges is tantamount to mental torture.”

Mr Cleverly responded: “We recognise the debt is due. We are working to resolve this.

“This is a 40-year-old debt and we are exploring options to bring this to a conclusion. It is not possible for me to comment either further or in more detail on this and I’m sure (Ms Nandy) will understand the reasons behind that.”