Morad Tahbaz, who can be a US citizen, spent 48 hours “beneath home arrest” with an ankle bracelet earlier than being taken again to jail, in keeping with his lawyer Hojjat Kermani.
Tahbaz, an environmentalist who was first detained in January 2018, was launched from Evin jail “on furlough to his home in Tehran,” UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss mentioned in a press release on Wednesday.
Tahbaz’s lawyer informed CNN that “safety guards surrounded Morad’s house for 48 hours earlier than taking him again to jail.”
On Friday, a UK Foreign Office spokesperson mentioned “the Iranians have informed the UK authorities that Morad has been taken to Evin to suit an ankle tag that ought to have been fitted earlier than his launch. We hope to see him returned to his house within the coming hours. Morad Tahbaz is a tri-national and we’re working carefully with the United States to safe Morad’s everlasting launch.”
A spokesperson for the US State Department additionally informed CNN that “Iran made a dedication to the UK to furlough Morad Tahbaz. As the UK authorities has mentioned, the UK has been informed that Morad has been returned to Evin jail solely to be fitted with an ankle tag, after which he might be allowed to go house.”
The spokesperson added that the US will not be “a celebration to this association, however would be part of the UK in contemplating something in need of Morad’s speedy furlough a violation of Iran’s dedication.”
As of Saturday morning, CNN can’t affirm whether or not Tahbaz has been rereleased from jail and again beneath home arrest.
The US is “urgently consulting” with the UK on acceptable responses and mentioned it continues “to work evening and day to safe the discharge of our wrongfully detained residents, together with U.S.-UK citizen Morad Tahbaz.”
The State Dept. spokesperson added, “merely put, Iran is unjustly detaining harmless Americans and others and will launch them instantly.”
Following the discharge of Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ashoori earlier this week, Truss introduced the UK had settled a decades-old £400 million ($524 million) debt owed to Iran, which Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian denied was linked to the jail launch on Wednesday.
Ramin Mostaghim reported from Tehran, Celine Alkhaldi wrote from Abu Dhabi, Ruba Alhenawi and Maija Ehlinger wrote from Atlanta, Arnaud Siad wrote from London and Jennifer Hansler wrote from the State Department. CNN’s Jeevan Ravindran contributed to this report.
