The daughter of a British-US citizen detained by Iran has claimed her family was “misinformed” and “misled” about the possibility of his release, as she prepares to stage a protest outside the Foreign Office.
Wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz, 66, was taken back into custody in Tehran after being allowed out on furlough last month, on the day charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and retired civil engineer Anoosheh Ashoori were freed.
His daughter Roxanne said her family was led to believe that he would be included in any deal negotiated at the time, alongside the two dual citizens.
But she said her father’s furlough “held no merit” and he remains “withering away in prison”.
She is planning to stage a protest outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Wednesday morning, where she will call on Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to “bring my Dad home”.
Richard Ratcliffe, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband, said he hopes the UK is “still working on a breakthrough” for Mr Tahbaz, along with British-Iranian Mehran Raoof, who is also being held in Iran.
“It is always bittersweet whenever there’s a release for those who are left behind in Evin Prison. Nazanin and I remember the feeling – others’ happiness that can feel so bleak, can leave you staring blankly at a wall of questions: ‘Why? Did we not matter enough?’" he said.
“I hope the UK is still working on a breakthrough for Morad and Mehran that we don’t know about, and that the embassy is going to get to see them in Evin and ensure they are safe in the meantime.
“I also hope the foreign secretary stays true to her word on Nazanin’s release and continues the work to end hostage diplomacy and also holds those who practise it accountable. These games hurt too many lives.”
The UK last month said it had secured Mr Tahbaz’s furlough, along with the release and return of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Mr Ashoori.
This came after the UK government eventually agreed to settle a £400 million ($521m) debt to Iran dating back to the rule of the Shah in the 1970s.
But two days later Mr Tahbaz was forced to return to Evin prison.
The FCDO went on to say he had been moved to a residential location in Tehran but Ms Tahbaz said he was taken back to the prison shortly afterwards.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, government officials led us to believe that our father would be included in any deal that was being made alongside Nazanin and Anoosheh last month," she said.
“Even the furlough, which was publicly announced by the Foreign Office, held no merit, as my father is still withering away in prison.
“The manner in which this has been handled has made us feel completely betrayed – we’ve been misinformed, misled and abandoned.
“There’s only one way Boris Johnson and Liz Truss can right this wrong and repair the trust we once had in our government – they need to urgently renegotiate with the Iranian authorities, and this time ensure that they bring our father and mother home without delay.”
“I’ve said numerous times since I got back that I can’t fully savour my freedom while Morad, Mehran and others are languishing behind bars after enduring the same travesty of justice I went through," said Mr Ashoori.
“I’m going to keep speaking about this until Morad and the others are back – just like my incredible family did for me.”
Mr Tahbaz, who also has Iranian citizenship, was arrested during a crackdown on environmental activists in January 2018.
He is a prominent conservationist and board member of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, which seeks to protect endangered species.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with his colleagues on vague charges of spying for the US and undermining Iran’s security.
“After the euphoria of Nazanin and Anoosheh’s release, Morad and fellow UK national Mehran Raoof have been left behind. Liz Truss has let Morad down and is letting Mehran down," said Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International UK.
“The government’s attitude seems to be ‘it’s job done’ now that Nazanin and Anoosheh are back – but this won’t be over until all the arbitrarily jailed British nationals are free and back home.”
Mr Tahbaz’s wife Vida has also been placed under a travel ban by the Iranian authorities, Amnesty said.
The FCDO has been approached for comment.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
Company%20profile%20
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
