I was honoured to receive an award from Hostage Aid for my work to help free my constituent Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and raise awareness of Iran’s hostage diplomacy. Getting her home has been the highlight of my career and I am grateful to have been recognised in this way.

It was moving to receive the award from Nazanin’s prison mate Nizar Zakka, and to hear about his harrowing experience in Evin prison where he was regularly blindfolded and kept in solidarity confinement. He thanked me for my work and I was overwhelmed by his fighting spirit.