Grateful thanks to everyone. Great to hear of first hand experience.
UK foreign and commonwealth site confirms not a sanctioned country. Down to individual banks.
Interesting - responses above say successfully used Halifax card (part of Lloyds who after a long wait said definitely no) and Nationwide (who said no). Appears even specialist bank departments don't know their own policies. Most appear terminally confused.
Nat West was a clear yes (but I will take second card).
Of course Western Union can be a fall back.
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