The UK does not pay terrorist ransoms

IN his letter, Terry Riordan appears to be suggesting Boris Johnson hands over £400 million to the Iranian state in exchange for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (“How can PM allow Nazanin case to continue”, November 17).

I can only conclude this gentleman is not a frequent visitor to Iran and has little concept of the consequences such an action would precipitate.

Having visited Iran many times since the revolution in 1979, and having transited the Straits of Hormuz many, many times, I would not hand over a penny to Iran.

In 1983, Iran bought 50 patrol craft from Boghammar Marin AB in Sweden, each one of which is armed with three half-inch machine guns. These craft are used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to strafe British and other merchant ships transiting the Straits of Hormuz.

While I have every sympathy for Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family; let us not forget she is an Iranian citizen with joint British nationality through marriage.

I understand that, before visiting her family in Iran, she demonstrated against the regime outside their embassy in London.

As an Iranian national, she must have been aware that using the freedoms she enjoys in the UK would not be appreciated by the Iranian regime in her home country.

Our country does not pay terrorists ransoms to release our citizens. The £400 million owed to Iran is not disputed by our Government – but will only be paid when US sanctions on that state allow us to do so.

This state of affairs will only come to pass when Iran stops attacking British ships in the Gulf and we can be guaranteed that the money will not be used to buy arms for their Revolutionary Guards, arms that would almost certainly be used against British seafarers.

Peter J Newton, Chellaston