British-Iranian dual nationals should not travel to Iran, Foreign Office warns
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is advising "against all travel to Iran" by British-Iranian dual nationals, according to a statement released on Friday.
"Travel advice has been changed in response to the Iranian government’s continued arbitrary detention and mistreatment of dual nationals, and Iranian citizens with links to institutions based in the UK," the statement said.
The announcement comes a day after UK forces in Iraq were put on "high alert", amid soaring tensions and sabre-rattling between Washington and Tehran.
On Tuesday, Iran also arrested an Iranian national working at the British Council, accusing them of being a spy.
“Dual nationals face an intolerable risk of mistreatment if they visit Iran. Despite the UK providing repeated opportunities to resolve this issue, the Iranian regime’s conduct has worsened," said Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
"Having exhausted all other options, I must now advise all British-Iranian dual nationals against travelling to Iran. The dangers they face include arbitrary detention and lack of access to basic legal rights, as we have seen in the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been separated from her family since 2016."
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested in Tehran on 3 April, 2016, when trying to return to London after a holiday with her then 21-month-old daughter, Gabriella.
Iran does not recognise dual citizenship.
