Boris Johnson has invited the Iranian president to London, as he called for the immediate release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

The prime minister urged Hassan Rouhani to release the British-Iranian dual national and other dual nationals imprisoned in Iran, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

The prime minister's meeting with Mr Rouhani at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday comes amid heightening tensions with the country.

A number of British-Iranian dual nationals are being held in Tehran on highly disputed allegations, including mother Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who Mr Johnson notoriously claimed was teaching journalism in the country when he was foreign secretary.

The charity worker and her family had always maintained she was merely visiting relatives in Iran when she was arrested, but Mr Johnson's blunder added weight to the Iranian judiciary's argument that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was not in the country on holiday.


Image: Jolie King and her boyfriend (left) and Kylie Moore-Gilbert (right) are being held in Iran

Also being held in Iran are university lecturer Kylie Moore-Gilbert and travel blogger Jolie King, who have dual British and Australian citizenships.

Mr Johnson invited Mr Rouhani to London "where we can discuss things more".

As well as discussing attacks on Saudi oil facilities, the PM said "there are other issues also I wish to raise with you and we retain serious concerns about the detention of dual nationals in Tehran and we are looking forward to make progress on that".

The PM said his visit to Tehran in 2017 as foreign secretary was "very productive but so far inconclusive", adding: "I think we still have a lot of progress to make."

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is more than half way through a five-year sentence over spying charges - allegations she vehemently denies.

Image: The PM's meeting came immediately after Mr Rouhani met the French president

Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, had called on the PM to tell Mr Rouhani that "enough is enough" and that he must free the mother immediately.

Mr Johnson also "raised our deep concern about Iran's destabilising activity in the region, including the attacks on the Aramco oil facilities, and insisted this must stop", the spokesperson said.

He stressed support for the Iran nuclear deal and the need for dialogue, "including on a comprehensive successor deal".

Mr Johnson blamed the attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities on Tehran, and called the Iranian nuclear pact a "bad deal" as he tipped Donald Trump as the "one guy" who could negotiate a new one.

The attribution of responsibility - which Tehran disputes - earned him a swift rebuke from Iran.

The prime minister tells the press how he loves the blue sky in New York

The PM went on to criticise the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as having "many defects", in a break from previous UK policy.

But he went on to reaffirm British commitment to the JCPOA in a joint statement with France and Germany, as they blamed Iran for the Saudi attacks in a display of unity.

The PM's meeting came immediately after Mr Rouhani met French President Emmanuel Macron, and the three spoke briefly in the same room in the Millennium Hilton hotel opposite the UN.

Johnson rejects responsibility over Nazanin's case

Mr Macron said it would be a "lost opportunity" if US President Donald Trump does not meet Mr Rouhani before he leaves the states.

Addressing Mr Rouhani, Mr Johnson said: "I think I agree with Emmanuel. You need to be on the side of the swimming pool and jump at the same time."