Lebanon PM demands Iran release Lebanese national detained for 'spying'

Lebanon's prime minister-designate has sent a message to the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani demanding the release of a Lebanese man imprisoned for alleged spying.

Saad Hariri made the demand for Nizar Zakka's release during a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese state-run media reported.

Zakka, who has permanent US residency, is serving a ten-year sentence for espionage-related charges.

The advocate for internet freedom was arrested in 2015 after traveling to Iran to attend a conference.

Two weeks later, Iranian state TV reported that he was in custody and suspected of "deep links" with US intelligence services.

Last July, he was hospitalised after his health deteriorated because of a hunger strike.

Zakka's family has long accused the Lebanese government of neglecting his case and deny the allegations against him.

The news comes as UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt summoned Iran's ambassador to Britain Monday to demand that jailed British-Iranian dual national, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, receive proper medical attention.

According to Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family, Zaghari-Ratcliff has been denied proper medical attention since discovering lumps on her breasts.

On Monday, the mother-of-one began a hunger strike along with famed imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi to protest her treatment while in detention.

Jeremy Hunt demanded the Iranian government to provide the necessary medical treatment to the detained charity worker, who was arrested in Tehran in April 2016 for allegedly spying, charges her supporters strongly deny.

Iran has often detained a number of dual-nationals and foreigners on what critics say are trumped up charges.