Zaghari-ratcliffe resigned to a return to Iranian prison

NAZANIN ZAGHARI-RATCLIFFE expects to return to prison soon after losing an appeal over a second sentence, prompting her to accuse the British government of “playing with fire”.

Currently under house arrest at her parents’ home in Tehran after serving a full five-year prison sentence on espionage charges, Ms Zaghari Ratcliffe was sentenced to another year of imprisonment and an additional year-long travel ban on separate charges in April.

The British-iranian aid worker’s appeal against the sentence was denied on Saturday after a closed-door session. The 43-year-old has not yet received a formal summons to return to prison, but her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said that “it is a signal to the British Government that they will send her back soon”.

The family of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe have been repeatedly told that her imprisonment relates to a £400million debt to Iran that the UK refuses to pay or acknowledge. It is also believed to be linked to ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

An Iranian lawmaker yesterday said Iran would resume nuclear talks in Brussels on Thursday, potentially giving the UK an opportunity to push harder on Nazanin’s release. But Mr Ratcliffe said

‘It is a signal to the British Government that they will send her back soon’

he had no faith in the Foreign Office’s approach to securing his wife’s release after five years of trying. “Nazanin wanted to say clearly to the Foreign Secretary that the Government’s approach is playing with fire,” he added.

Commenting on the appeal’s failure, Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, on Saturday said: “I will do all I can to help Nazanin and her family.”

The Foreign Office declined to comment on Mr Ratcliffe’s latest comments.