“Any update?” This was my husband Anoosheh Ashoori’s first comment when we talked on the phone this week. He spoke in a voice that betrayed his rising anxiety.

Today is day 878 of Anoosheh’s arbitrary detention in Evin prison in Iran, convicted of the preposterous crime of spying for Israel’s Mossad. The closest activity to espionage he has engaged in has been to watch James Bond movies with me.

Anoosheh is a retired engineer with a passion for space, Charles Darwin and making gadgets that make life easier for his family. He is a peaceful, decent human being who has always stayed away from politics.

The recent assassination of General Qassem Soleimani​ has dealt the most major blow to the case of dual nationals imprisoned in Iran, ironically at a time when our hopes of their return had been at their highest in the wake of Xiyue Wang’s release.

The Princeton scholar was freed during a prisoner swap with the United States, which led us all to believe – naively, in retrospect – that if the US had successfully negotiated an American national’s release, despite having no formal ties to Iran for the past 40 years, Boris Johnson would be able to achieve more due to the UK and Europe’s closer understanding with Iran. That understanding was demonstrated by their continued compliance with the Iranian nuclear deal despite Donald Trump’s withdrawal from it.

Trump’s ill-considered move to assassinate Soleimani has highlighted the Americans’ outright ignorance of Iran’s culture of martyrdom and reverence for those killed in the line of “religious duty”. His action has merely served to unite a country that had become divided in the wake of bloody protests against the petrol price hike and the dire economic situation, making the regime fearful of a very low turnout in the forthcoming parliamentary election. Soleimani’s death has brought the people together in their hatred of the “imperialists.”

Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Show all 24 1 /24 Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian mourners gather around a vehicle carrying the coffin of top general Qasem Soleimani during the final stage of funeral processions, in his hometown Kerman. Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with Iran which has vowed "severe revenge" AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranian people carry a coffin of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani during a funeral procession in Tehran Official Khamenei website via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions The assassination of the 62-year-old heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile, oil-rich Middle East and rattled financial markets AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian people attend a funeral procession and burial for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, at his hometown in Kerman, Iran January 7, 2020. Mehdi Bolourian/Fars News Agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY WANA NEWS AGENCY West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Mourners packed the streets of Tehran for ceremonies to pay homage to Soleimani, who spearheaded Iran's Middle East operations as commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force and was killed in a US drone strike on January 3 Iranian Supreme Leader's Office/EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian mourners gather around a vehicle carrying the coffin of slain top general Qasem Soleimani during the final stage of funeral processions, in his hometown Kerman on January 7, 2020. - Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport Friday in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with arch-enemy Iran which has vowed "severe revenge". The assassination of the 62-year-old heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile, oil-rich Middle East and rattled financial markets. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images) ATTA KENARE AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranians set a US and an Israeli flag on fire during the funeral procession AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, centre, with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, second left, and President Hassan Rouhani, third left, standing next to him as he leads a prayer over the caskets of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Tehran University Khamenei.IR/AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Mourners attend a funeral ceremony for Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his comrades, who were killed in Iraq in a U.S. drone strike on Friday, in the city of Kerman, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. The leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened on Tuesday to "set ablaze" places supported by the United States over the killing of a top Iranian general in a U.S. airstrike last week, sparking cries from the crowd of supporters of "Death to Israel!" (Erfan Kouchari/Tasnim News Agency via AP) Erfan Kouchari AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, openly weeps as he leads a prayer over the coffin of Qassem Soleimani AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Mourners holding posters of Qassem Soleimani AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Coffins of Soleimani and others who were killed in Iraq by a US drone strike, are carried on a truck surrounded by mourners during a funeral procession, at the Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) square AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions An Iranian mourner holds a placard AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Downtown Tehran was brought to a standstill as mourners flooded the Iranian capital Khamenei.IR/AFP via Getty Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Former Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps chief Mohamad Ali Jafari prays on the coffins of Qasem Soleimani and of other victims during their funeral ceremony EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian mourners gather during the final stage of funeral processions for slain top general Qasem Soleimani, in his hometown Kerman on January 7, 2020. - Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport on January 3 in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with arch-enemy Iran which has vowed "severe revenge". The assassination of the 62-year-old heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile, oil-rich Middle East and rattled financial markets. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images) ATTA KENARE AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran epa08107653 Iranians attend the funeral ceremony of slain Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant general and commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani and of other victims in Tehran, Iran, 06 January 2020. Soleimani was killed in a targeted US airstrike on 03 January 2020 in Baghdad, Iraq. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran epa08107308 A handout photo made available by Iranian Supreme Leader's Office shows Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (C) praying before the coffins of slain Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant general and commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani and of other victims as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (C-L) and other top officials attend the funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, 06 January 2020. Soleimani was killed in a targeted US airstrike on 03 January 2020 in Baghdad, Iraq. EPA/IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER OFFICE HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER OFFICE HANDOUT EPA Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Women hold pictures of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, during a funeral procession and burial at his hometown in Kerman, Iran January 7, 2020. Mehdi Bolourian/Fars News Agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY WANA NEWS AGENCY West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran Iranian people gather during a funeral for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Tehran, Iran January 6, 2020. Official Khamenei website/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES Official Khamenei website Official Khamenei website via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Iranian mourners gather during the final stage of funeral processions for slain top general Qasem Soleimani, in his hometown Kerman on January 7, 2020. - Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad airport on January 3 in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions with arch-enemy Iran which has vowed "severe revenge". The assassination of the 62-year-old heightened international concern about a new war in the volatile, oil-rich Middle East and rattled financial markets. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images) ATTA KENARE AFP via Getty Images Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Kerman - Final stage of funeral processions Men hold pictures of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, during a funeral procession and burial at his hometown in Kerman, Iran January 7, 2020. Mehdi Bolourian/Fars News Agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY WANA NEWS AGENCY West Asia News Agency via Reuters Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran This Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 satellite photo from Maxar Technologies shows Enghelab Square in Tehran, Iran, amid a mass processional for Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad. The funeral for Soleimani drew a crowd said by police to be in the millions in the Iranian capital, filling thoroughfares and side streets as far as the eye could see. Although there was no independent estimate, aerial footage and Associated Press journalists suggested a turnout of at least 1 million. (Satellite image Â©2020 Maxar Technologies via AP) Satellite image Maxar Technologies/AP Qassem Soleimani: Mourners fill Iran streets for funeral Tehran epa08107478 Iranians attend the funeral ceremony of slain Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant general and commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani and of other victims in Tehran, Iran, 06 January 2020. Soleimani was killed in a targeted US airstrike on 03 January 2020 in Baghdad, Iraq. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH EPA

Johnson has a choice: to blindly side with his American counterpart who, in continuation of his irrational approach, has threatened to take the unlawful step of destroying cultural sites in Iran, which risks incurring the anger of his other allies and their nations; or to embark on a course that will boost his popularity at home and endorse the UK’s position as being independent on the world stage and subservient to no one.

By negotiating the release of the British-Iranian dual nationals at the height of this volatile state of affairs, Johnson can send a signal that active diplomacy and goodwill always prevail over the military solution. Instead of sympathising with a president whose actions are facing mounting backlash from his own party and the international community, the prime minister will be validating the rational approach and ever-growing need for robust diplomacy.

The Iranians will most likely be amenable to negotiation, to prove their willingness to cooperate with “the voice of reason” and demonstrate that they welcome the non-hostile solution.

The efficacy of this calm approach to international diplomacy may perhaps be illustrated in the case of another European dual national.

Several weeks ago, French president Emmanuel Macron summoned the Iranian ambassador to hold Iran to account over its arbitrary detention of French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah. The Iranians’ response was the usual rhetoric – that Iran does not recognise dual nationality and the French had no right to interfere. However, this week her lawyer announced that charges of spying against her had been dropped.

What magic wand did Macron wave? Maybe he can share his knowledge with the Foreign Office and the foreign secretary Dominic Raab so there is no more “urging” the Iranians to do the right thing. Clearly, “urging” or “strongly urging” (a much dreaded, but oft-used, word) has not yielded results.

As long as the British government insists on adhering to its current fruitless approach to the fate of dual nationals, innocent individuals such as my husband Anoosheh and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will continue to languish inside Evin prison, deprived of their loved ones.

It is the time for decisive diplomacy, not tentative and superficial attempts. It is the time for Boris Johnson to demonstrate to the international community that he is his own man.