Nadhim Zahawi MP is to be paid £338,000 by Iranian state television channel Press TV after winning a libel case against the channel, who had falsely accused Mr Zahawi of facilitating oil trading between Israel and ISIS, it was announced on Thursday.
The Conservative MP for Stratford-On-Avon, who was born in Iraq and is of Kurdish origin, is to be awarded £200,000 in damages and over £138,000 in costs after the judge described Press TV’s false allegations as “exceptionally grave”.
Mr Zahawi stated: “The ludicrous allegation that I, while a Member of Parliament, had firstly betrayed all of my deepest held moral principles, and secondly had somehow managed to avoid international security services, and the law, to personally trade oil with Daesh was of course completely untrue”.
He continued: “In my role as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have often spoken out against the malign influence Iran has so often chosen to exercise in international affairs. It was of particular note that the libellous article was published on the exact same day that I had publically criticised Iran in Parliament”.
The MP concluded that he hoped the episode would “deter outlets such as Press TV, and by extension states such as Iran, from attempting this sort of attack on anyone again”.
Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn had previously been paid £20,000 for his appearances on the channel.
