Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'on her way home' after Iranian detention

United Kingdom aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is leaving Iran, according to her local Labour constituency representative, Tulip Siddiq. The parliamentarian wrote in a Twitter post that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was heading home.

"Nazanin is at the airport in Tehran and on her way home," Siddiq's post read. The MP later posted a picture of Zaghari-Ratcliffe on the plane with a caption reading: "It's been 6 long years — and I can't believe I can finally share this photo." 

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed that Zaghari-Ratcliffe along with two other dual national citizens had been released, with two heading back to the UK.

"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." 

Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been held by Iran since 2016, and had been convicted for trying to overthrow the government.

Iranian media reports Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been 'handed over'

Iranian state-owned news network Press TV also reported that Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been "handed over" to the British government after "serving a jail term for espionage."

On Monday Siddiq posted on social media that Zaghari-Ratcliffe's passport had been returned.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran's airport in April 2016 and convicted of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government. She, along with her supporters and human rights groups, have denied these allegations. 

The aid worker was sentenced to an extra 12 months in prison in 2021, on charges of spreading "propaganda against the system" after it emerged she had participated in a protest outside the Iranian Embassy in London in 2009.

Another British-Iranian citizen, Anousheh Ashouri, held since 2019 for espionage, has also been released and 

Britain's 'legitimate debt' to Iran

Earlier on Wednesday Truss spoke about a historic debt that had been owed to Tehran while answering questions about dual nationals who were being held by Iran.

Speaking to UK news channel Sky News on Wednesday, Truss said: "We are working very hard, and I've made a priority as foreign secretary, to secure the release of Nazanin, Anousheh, and Morad who are all detained in Iran. We've also made it a priority to pay the debt that we owe to Iran, but I can't say anything more than that."

Truss was further questioned about a payment made for tanks that were not delivered. The foreign secretary responded by saying: "We have been clear that this is a legitimate debt, that we do owe Iran and we have been seeking ways to pay it."

Later on Wednesday Truss released a statement which said,"we have also settled the IMS debt, as we said we would." The IMS debt was money that was paid to a military company called International Military Services (IMS) for tanks and armoured vehicles in the 1970s. A sum of 400 million pounds was paid for tanks that were not delivered.

The British government says the payment of the debt was not related to the detention of the dual nationals.

kb/sms (Reuters, AFP)