The Iranian ambassador to the UK said that the campaign to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is not helping her release from prison.

That statement seems plausible to me. Too much pressure against a government can motivate its officials to dig in their heels and refuse to make a concession, lest they appear "weak".

However, this doesn't excuse the unjust treatment that Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe has received, which failed to respect the rights of criminal defendants.