NAZANIN ZAGHARI-RATCLIFFE was said to be on her way home today after six years imprisoned in Iran.
The mother-of-one was booked on a flight from Tehran along with British-Iranian businessman Anoosheh Ashoori, their lawyer Hojjat Kermani said. It follows days of reported tense negotiations between the UK Government and Iran over the release of British nationals detained in the country.
Their ordeal in Iran appeared to be finally coming to an end, barring a last-minute surprise hitch.
Her MP, Labour's Tulip Siddiq, said today: “Nazanin is at the airport in Tehran and on her way home. I came into politics to make a difference, and right now I'm feeling like I have."
Mrs. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who holds dual British-Iranian citizenship, was arrested in 2016 on trumped-up charges of plotting against the regime. She served five years in an Iranian prison and has spent the past year on parole at her parents' home in Tehran in fear she could be sent back to jail at any time.
Iranian authorities arrested Mr. Ashoori in August 2017 when he went to the country to visit his mother.
They have always protested their innocence.
Mrs. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was yesterday handed back her British passport and was reportedly told a flight would be “arranged for her” today so she could finally rejoin her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella, seven, at their home in Hampstead.
This story is from the March 16, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 16, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Why are England wasting time waiting for Tuchel?
Winning the World Cup is the aim, so the new boss should start now
He's been shot, and punched by Mike Tyson, but British boxing's great survivor is back on top and aiming to rule the world
This is where the magic happens,\" reads a big neon sign scrawled across the entrance to the offices of arguably the most powerful man in British boxing today.
How Sketch went from 'obscene' to era-defining
After arocky start, the glamorous and infamous restaurant is now an institution
Money is worth less than time'
He's quit Fendi, but what will Kim Jones do next?
London's Roman Amphitheatre
Guildhall Yard, EC2V
Liberals didn't notice they'd lost relevance in the all-consuming digital sphere
There are many reasons why Donald Trump might have won the election last week.
Do we have to die?
One neuroscientist thinks the answer is no
How to have a magical Christmas in Edinburgh
From cosy cobblestone streets to abundant Yuletide goings-on, few cities rival the Scottish capital in creating Christmas whimsy.
London's best festive restaurants
The social season is upon us once more. These are the city’s most coveted Christmas venues, which need to be booked soon so as to not miss out on the tinsel and tipples.
Rag'n'Bone Man
I struggle with being recognised... I'll never really feel comfortable with it'
