Woman detained in Iran for nearly 6 years preparing to leave country, UK lawmaker says
LONDON — A British lawmaker says that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been detained in Iran for nearly six years, is at Tehran’s airport preparing to leave the country.
Iranian state media reported that Britain had “settled a long-overdue debt” of $530 million.
U.K. lawmaker Tulip Siddiq announced the development on Twitter.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had confirmed earlier Wednesday amid his trip to the Middle East that a negotiating team was at work in Tehran to free Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who holds dual U.K.-Iranian citizenship.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given back her British passport over the weekend.
Nazanin is at the airport in Tehran and on her way home.
I came into politics to make a difference, and right now I’m feeling like I have.
More details to follow. #FreeNazanin
— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) March 16, 2022
Zaghari-Ratcliffe served five years in prison after being taken into custody at Tehran’s airport in April 2016. According to CNN, she was arrested following a vacation to visit her daughter. She was later convicted of plotting the overthrow of Iran’s government, a charge that she, her supporters and rights groups deny.
According to NBC News, Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release may raise hopes for the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear arms deal.
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