Thursday , 28 March 2024

‘WE’RE WAITING BY THE PHONE’ Husband of British mum Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe jailed in Iran hoping she will be released TODAY

Sun – THE husband of jailed Brit mum Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe is still hopeful of being home in time for her Boxing Day birthday.

Richard Ratcliffe said he was hoping regime officials in Iran would free Nazanin., 38 on Christmas Day, so she and their daughter Gabriella could return to London.

 Nazanin, right, pictured with her husband, is still hoping for a Christmas release

PA
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Nazanin, right, pictured with her husband, is still hoping for a Christmas release

She has been in jail since April 2016 after being arrested on trumped up spying charges as she waited to fly home from the capital Tehran where she had been visiting family.

Speaking to the Mail Online on Christmas Eve, her husband Richard, 42, said: “She’s still in prison today, so best case is tomorrow.

“It’s her birthday on Boxing Day so we were sort of hoping she’d be out for then’.”

In another interview with BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House programme, Richard said he was “sitting by the phone hoping” after an Iranian database listed Nazanin as “eligible for release”.

 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is hoping she could be home by Christmas

PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION
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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is hoping she could be home by Christmas

Richard had previously told the Sun on Sunday of his wife’s misery at still being imprisoned over the festive season.

He said: ”I spoke with her in jail and to be honest she was feeling pretty flat.

“I tried to cheer her up and said there was always still hope she would be back in time.

“Iran is not a Christian country but Jesus is still seen as a prophet and although they don’t celebrate Christmas as we do I’m hoping they will show leniency and release her.

 Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson flew to Iran last month

AP
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Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson flew to Iran last month

”It could still happen and I am keeping my fingers crossed. It’s just a question of watching and hoping – if she’s not back for Christmas then Boxing Day would be great as it’s her birthday.”

However, Tehran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Esmaili appeared to dismiss hopes of a swift release, saying there was no possibility she would be released until she is tried on additional charges of “spreading propaganda” filed last month.

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