Foreign secretary Liz Truss has said the £400 million debt paid to Iran will not violate sanctions, as it will be ring fenced to fund humanitarian goods.

In a statement published following today’s release of two British citizens from detention in Iran, Truss said their return to the UK came about as a due to “the result of tenacious and creative British diplomacy”. 

Truss said the UK had paid the £400m debt to Iran, stressing that it would be “ring-fenced solely for the purchase of humanitarian goods”. 

“The IMS [International Military Services] debt has been settled in full compliance with UK and international sanctions and all legal obligations. These funds will be ring-fenced solely for the purchase of humanitarian goods,” she explained.

Truss claimed the case was a major priority for her when she was promoted to foreign secretary last September, explaining: “I made resolving the continued detention of British nationals and the IMS debt payment my top priorities when I entered office in September 2021. In my first week, I spoke to the families of all the detainees and met my Iranian counterpart in New York.”

She also went on to detail some of the talks that contributed to today’ releases, especially those involving Oman, saying: “Last October and November I dispatched a team of Foreign Office negotiators to Tehran to secure the release of the detainees.”

“Last December I met Omani Foreign Minister Badr to secure Oman’s diplomatic assistance. We are grateful to our friends in Oman for their support in securing the return of our nationals.

“Last month I spoke twice to Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian in a final push to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion. Our officials then held a last round of negotiations to sign off an agreement allowing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori to return to the UK, and Morad Tahbaz to be released on furlough to his house in Tehran.”