Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

U.K. to pay Tehran £400m

60 replies

IsItAugustYet · 02/05/2021 15:15

Nazarin to be released.

Thank god for that!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
IsItAugustYet · 02/05/2021 15:15

Nazanin - autocorrect due to typing so quickly!

This is wonderful news for her family and long, long overdue.

OP posts:
Nightmanagerfan · 02/05/2021 15:17

Source?

YouWereGr8InLittleMenstruators · 02/05/2021 15:18

Yes!!

DogsSausages · 02/05/2021 15:18

Is it on the news

Original poster
IsItAugustYet · 02/05/2021 15:19

It’s breaking news and being extensively reported across the broadsheets.

OP posts:
Thornrose · 02/05/2021 15:20

I don't think it's quite as simple as that.

AdoptedBumpkin · 02/05/2021 15:21

Fantastic news (if true)

Original poster
IsItAugustYet · 02/05/2021 15:22

@Thornrose

I don't think it's quite as simple as that.
These things never are, however I am simply sharing the headline news.
OP posts:
DogsSausages · 02/05/2021 15:22

Great if it's TRUE, I can only see it being reported by an Iranian source, fingers crossed, poor woman.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 02/05/2021 15:27

Where is it reported? God what a bloody shitty farce. I hope she really is getting released. Sad that she will probably never get to see her family in Iran face to face again.

I hope she (and her daughter and husband) will get a serous amount of help (and privacy) that she needs.

FusionChefGeoff · 02/05/2021 15:39

Oh my god I really really hope that's true!!!

vinoandbrie · 02/05/2021 15:39

I wouldn’t have such confidence that this is happening.

Our government has said there’s been no change to the ongoing situation - Alex Wickham has said there’s a “strong steer away” from these reports coming out of Iran, and that these things have been said many times before by Iran, and of course it’s been lies.

I desperately hope she comes home and that the report is true, needless to say, but am not allowing myself to get my hopes up.

This is all so cruel for Nazanin, Richard, Gabriella and their entire family.

SweetPetrichor · 02/05/2021 15:41

That’s a lot of money to release one person. I’d question whether it’s a good use of funds.

OnlyInYourDreams · 02/05/2021 15:43

As much as I feel sorry for her, I really don’t agree that we should be paying that level of money for the release of one person.

Besides which BBC are saying it’s not true.

Interviewedundercaution · 02/05/2021 15:44

It's what an Iranian news agency is saying. Sanctions mean UK govt can't repay, even if they want to.

PhoebeFriends · 02/05/2021 15:45

Of course it is good use of funds- she should be free.

KarenMarlow3 · 02/05/2021 15:45

As much as I feel sorry for her, I really don’t agree that we should be paying that level of money for the release of one person
I got the impression that the UK owed the money to Iran, for tanks?

tara66 · 02/05/2021 15:48

Yes UK has owed this money for a very long time.

OnlyInYourDreams · 02/05/2021 15:49

Of course it is good use of funds- she should be free. no it really isn’t. Especially the way the OP is telling it that the government are going to pay £400m for her release.

She should be free, but not at any price.

OnlyInYourDreams · 02/05/2021 15:50

Anyway this is all academic as it’s not true according to our news sources.

Learningatmyownpace · 02/05/2021 15:50

@OnlyInYourDreams

As much as I feel sorry for her, I really don’t agree that we should be paying that level of money for the release of one person.

Besides which BBC are saying it’s not true.

The Uk government took a payment from Iran to supply tanks. They didn’t supply the tanks and the UK refused to return the money. It’s not a ransom being paid that’s allowing her to be released. It’s a debt. This poor woman shouldn’t have been imprisoned in the first place it was nothing to do with her.
vinoandbrie · 02/05/2021 15:52

It’s a debt that is owed by the UK to Tehran dating back to the 1970s.

It would not be a ransom (the UK doesn’t pay ransoms, ever, apparently).

Iran paid the UK £400M (well, the 1970s equiv) for tanks. Then came the Iranian revolution. The UK never provided the tanks as they would no longer provide weapons to such a regime, and of course still has the £400M.

The UK has been unable to give the £400M back to Iran, as there are sanctions in place against Iran.

The powers that be are presumably trying to get the £400M back to Iran in a way that would not breach the sanctions, perhaps by giving it via aid to Iran.

So I think it would be a good use of money as it’s money owed and would be a means to an end to get Nazanin (and others who are held captive but their cases have not been publicised) home.

inigomontoyahwillcox · 02/05/2021 15:53

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56963590

Not true - unfortunately.

MyOctopusFeature · 02/05/2021 15:54

Its not 'compensation' for supporting the assassination of Solemeini, at least.

Mincepiesallyearround · 02/05/2021 15:54

Payments can be made despite sanctions - special requests can be made for an exemption or it can be deposited in an international bank and Iran can only use it for humanitarian purchases eyc. So there are ways around it.