Iran’s ‘change in tone’ could see sanctions reviewed and nuclear deal move closer, says minister

Iran’s ‘change in tone’ could see sanctions reviewed and nuclear deal move closer, says minister

A “change in tone” from Iran and face-to-face meetings could see sanctions reviewed and a nuclear deal move a step closer, a minister has suggested. James Cleverly, the minister of state for Europe, was speaking a day after the Government paid off a debt of almost £400million, which could end an impasse in talks over the Iranian nuclear programme . Wednesday also saw dual British-Iranian nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori allowed to leave Tehran after the Ministry of Defence handed over the cash, which dated back to a tank deal from 1979. Asked if it was the beginning of the country’s readmission to the international community after decades of sanctions, Mr Cleverly said the matter was “entirely in the gift of the Iranian government”. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The release of these dual nationals has been something that all the foreign secretaries have worked on since they were taken. All our officials work on this incredibly hard. “With the new government that came into Tehran, there was a change in tone, Liz Truss was able to have face-to-face meetings for the first time in over three years with her opposite number, I had face-to-face meetings with