Community hails ‘great news’ as Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ashoori are released

Confirmation of the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori from Iran was warmly welcomed by communal figures on Wednesday.

Ashoori is a retired engineer who was falsely accused of being a Mossad spy.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed the pair had boarded a flight out of Tehran and are expected to arrive in the UK later that same day.

Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Their release – and the decision to allow a third British born citizen out of prison in Iran on furlough – is linked to the payment by the UK of a decades-old debt over an arms deal that was never fulfilled.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been detained in Iran for almost six years, serving five years in prison after being taken into custody at Tehran’s airport in April 2016.

She faced accusations she had been conspiring against the Iranian government – charges she has always denied.

Ashoori was imprisoned for five years after he was accused by authorities in Tehran of “spying for Israel’s Mossad” and “acquiring illegitimate wealth.”

A 67-year-old retired engineer from south London,  Ashoori was arrested in August 2017 while visiting his mother and jailed for 10 years on charges of spying for Israel.

There was also renewed hope on Wednesday that Morad Tabhaz – a British American Iranian-  would be allowed to return to the UK after he was also released from prison on furlough.

Welcoming the news Labour MP Alex Sobel tweeted: “It’s been such  a struggle for so long. My heart is filled with hope. I am so happy for Richard and all at Free Nazanin and massive kudos to Tulip Siddiq MP who has fought for this since the start.”

Dame Margaret Hodge tweeted simply: “Brilliant! Thoughts are with Richard, Nazanin & their family today. What amazing news.”

Lawyer Sarah Sackman said: “What great news! Hope the family can begin to repair their lives. Well done to them and to you for never giving up.”

Central to the releases was the UK’s payment now of a £383.8 million debt dating back to the 1970s owed to Iran following the cancellation of an arms contract.

After the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, the British government cancelled an order for 1,500 Chieftain tanks and armoured vehicles, leaving the debt of nearly £400 million owed.

Announcing the release Foreign Secretary Truss said the UK has now settled the IMS debt “in parallel”.

She revealed that negotiations had been taking place between the UK and Iran over the past few months, with the help of Oman, and said: “The IMS debt has been settled in full compliance with UK and international sanctions and all legal obligations. These funds will be ring-fenced solely for the purchase of humanitarian goods.”

Both Ashoori and Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s families have been campaigning for their release for years, with Nazanin’s husband Richard even resorting to a hunger strike in Westminster to draw attention to her case.

Truss said she had made the releases a priority since taking office.

She confirmed on Wednesday: “After years of detention by the Government of Iran, British Nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori will return from Iran today.

“Morad Tahbaz has also been released from prison on furlough. It is the result of tenacious and creative British diplomacy.

“Nazanin has been held in Iran for almost six years, and Anoosheh almost five. Morad has been in prison for four. They will be reunited with their families and loved ones.

“Their release is the result of years of hard work and dedication by our brilliant diplomats, and intensive efforts over the past six months. I pay tribute to my predecessors and the Prime Minister, who have all worked hard to resolve this issue.

“We have the deepest admiration for the resolve, courage and determination Nazanin, Anoosheh and Morad, and their families, have shown.

“They have faced hardship that no family should ever experience and this is a moment of great relief.”

She also praised the role of Oman in securing the releases.

“Last December I met Omani Foreign Minister Badr to secure Oman’s diplomatic assistance. We are grateful to our friends in Oman for their support in securing the return of our nationals,” she said.

The UK negotiating team was led by Stephanie Al-Quq who has been heading the UK negotiating team in Vienna over the future of the Iran nuclear deal.

Both the US administration and UK government had repeatedly insisted there is no connection between the efforts to negotiate the release of dual national prisoners and the nuclear talks.

US President Joe Biden has been working to re-establish the Iran nuclear deal, which his predecessor Donald Trump abandoned in 2018.

The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed by the US, UK, China, France, Germany, Russia, the EU and Iran in 2015.

But is has been fiercely opposed by Israel, with Iran set to receive $7bn in released frozen assets, as well as sanctions relief on exports such as oil.

This money, Israel believes, will be funneled to Iran’s proxies across the region.