Foreign Office advises dual UK-Iranian nationals against all but 'essential' travel to Iran

Dual UK-Iranian nationals have been advised against all but "essential" travel to Iran by the Foreign Office, as the government warned it had "only limited powers" to support travellers if they are detained in the Middle Eastern country.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt took the decision to heighten the warning because of the risks they had seen "all too sadly in a number of cases", a spokesperson said in a statement, adding: "The Iranian government does not recognise dual nationality so if a dual national is detained our ability to provide support is extremely limited."

The new travel advice warns “Any behaviour that doesn't’t have an obvious explanation can put you at risk, no matter how innocent you believe it to be.

“This may include travel off the beaten track, being present near crowds or sensitive sites, having contact with Iranians who are of interest to the authorities, taking photographs (except in major tourist sites), or behaviour that could be perceived as contrary to official Iranian interpretations of Islam.

“The threat to travellers is likely to be higher if there’s any national unrest, terrorist incident or an increase in tensions between Iran and the international community.”

The announcement comes as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe remains imprisoned in Tehran, convicted of spying. Human rights groups are currently seeking the release of the British-Iranian project worker who was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2016 after she was accused of spying by Tehran’s Islamist regime, which she denies.

In August, the 39-year-old Thomson Reuters Foundation employee was given a three-day release following diplomatic intervention and was able to spend some time with her four-year-old daughter Gabriella, who is living with her parents in the country.

Mr Hunt vowed to leave “no stone unturned” in his efforts to secure her release, describing her imprisonment as a "gross injustice".