The wife of a British scholar who was sentenced to life for spying in the United Arab Emirates accused London on Thursday of refusing to defend her husband for fear of upsetting Dubai.
The oil-rich Gulf state said on Thursday that Hedges can still appeal the verdict or request "presidential clemency".
"Both sides hope to find an amicable solution to the Matthew Hedges case," the UAE foreign ministry said.
But Dubai's apparent attempt to put the dispute behind it came only after an unusual diplomatic scandal erupted in London.
Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada gave an impassioned interview to BBC radio on her return from the court hearing.
She accused the Foreign Office of placing its interests above those of an innocent Briton.
"I got the impression that they were putting their interests with the UAE above a British citizen's rightful freedom and his welfare and his right to just a fair trial, just to freedom," Tejada said.
"They were stepping on eggshells instead of taking a firm stance." Hedges was detained at Dubai airport on May 5 while researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011.
Hunt became foreign minister in July but only began to speak out about the case after Hedges's family went public with news of his arrest in early October.
The scholar was released on bail on October 29 and top British officials appeared stunned by Wednesday's court ruling.
Prime Minister Theresa May told a session of parliament she was "deeply disappointed" and instructed the Foreign Office to "continue to press this matter at the highest level with the Emiratis".
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)