Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe beams on flight home after ‘six years of hell’ in Iran
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been pictured smiling as she finally prepared to return home ‘from six years of hell’ in Iran.
The photo was shared by her MP Tulip Siddiq, who said she has touched down in Muscat, Oman, where she will board another flight back to the UK.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and a second dual national, Anoosheh Ashoori, will be reunited with their families in the UK after being released by the Iranian authorities. A third dual national, Morad Tahbaz, has been released from prison on furlough.
It comes after the Government settled an outstanding £400 million debt owed to the regime in Tehran.
The announcement brings an end to a six-year ordeal for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was arrested in 2016 in Tehran on spying charges – allegations she has always denied.
Boris Johnson, visiting Gulf states, welcomed news of the detainees’ release.
He tweeted: ‘The UK has worked intensively to secure their release and I am delighted they will be reunited with their families and loved ones.’
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband, Richard, said the family is ‘looking forward to a new life’.
Mr Ashoori has been in prison for almost five years while Mr Tahbaz has been held for four.
Their release follows months of intensive diplomatic negotiations between London and Tehran.
It is understood the UK agreed to pay £393.8 million owed to Iran after it cancelled an order of Chieftain tanks following the overthrow of the Shah in the revolution of 1979.
Ms Truss tweeted: ‘I can confirm Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori will return to the UK today, and Morad Tahbaz has been released from prison on furlough. They will be reunited with their families later today.
‘We will continue to work to secure Morad’s departure from Iran.’
Antonio Zappulla, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation where Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is still employed, said staff were ‘overjoyed’ at news of her release.
In a statement, he said: ‘On behalf of all at the Thomson Reuters Foundation, we are overjoyed that our much missed colleague and friend Nazanin has finally been freed.
‘No one can begin to imagine what Nazanin has endured throughout the past tortuous six years; denied her freedoms, separated from her husband and young child, battling significant illness, thrown in solitary confinement.
‘An innocent victim of an international dispute, Nazanin has been one of many used as political pawns. Her treatment has been utterly inhumane.
‘Throughout this extremely dark period, we have supported the Free Nazanin campaign every single step of the way, whilst remaining in close contact with Richard, and of course, with Nazanin herself.’
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