Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Iran claims UK ready to agree Nazanin deal
Hopes for jailed Brit mum
IRAN has claimed it is ready to hand over British mum Nazanin Zaghari-ratcliffe.
Quoting an anonymous official, Iranian state TV yesterday said the aid worker – jailed over claims she was spying – would be set free after the UK agreed to pay a £400million “military debt”.
But British sources played down immediate hopes of a breakthrough. And her family said they had heard nothing.
Announcing a prisoner swap with the US, the official said: “The release of Nazanin Zaghariratcliffe in exchange for the UK’S payment of its £400m debt to Iran has also been finalised.”
The news was not confirmed by the UK government.
It is understood Britain is sticking by its demand, voiced by Dominic Raab yesterday, for Iran to release other dual nationals in Evin Prison, Tehran, as well.
Husband Richard Ratcliffe told the Mirror his “instinct” is that the claim is “premature”.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We continue to explore options to resolve this case and will not comment further as legal discussions are ongoing.”
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Mr Raab told the BBC Mrs Zaghariratcliffe, 43, was being “subjected to a cat and mouse game” by Iran and the debt “is not actually the thing that is holding us up”.
The dispute dates back to a 1970s deal when Britain refused to deliver 1,500 Chieftain tanks to the new Islamic Republic.
Mr Raab said Iran is using Mrs Zaghari-ratcliffe as leverage.
The mum, from North London, was detained in Tehran in 2016 while taking daughter Gabriella to see her family.
Her MP Tulip Siddiq said: “I hope the Government is doing all it can to get the hostages home.”