Ian Collins: The Problem Is The Iranian Regime, Not Boris Johnson

14 November 2017, 10:04 | Updated: 14 November 2017, 10:20

Ian Collins takes on the hysteria surrounding Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's likely extended imprisonment in Iran.

Boris Johnson will meet the husband of a British mother locked up in Iran tomorrow, after being criticised for how he's dealt with the matter.

The Foreign Secretary's going to discuss the possibility of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe being offered diplomatic protection.

The Labour party has called for him to step down.

Ian Collins thinks the hysterical reaction to the crisis would be better directed at the Iranian regime than the Foreign Secretary.

He said: "Emily Thornberry was more interested in hearing an apology that had her required words within it rather than anything else.

"I'm hearing more about that than I'm hearing about the Iranian regime itself. I'm hearing more about the fact that Boris might have said something that many deem to be undiplomatic or un helpful than I am about the system itself.

"Boris Johnson should've been able to say she was making placards calling for the downfall of the government, if he wanted to.

"The fact that he can't say that, or that no one can say that, for fear of what might happen to a subject is the problem. That is the problem."

Watch the clip at the top of this page.