Who is Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? Know why was she detained by Iranian Government in 2016?

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian National came back to her home in the United Kingdom (UK) after spending nearly 6 years in the Capital of Iran, Tehran as a prisoner. The release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was announced by the British MP Tulip Siddiq of the Labour Party via a tweet in which he wrote, “Nazanin is at the airport in Tehran and on her way home.”

The Prime Minister of Britain Boris Johnson had also said earlier that the talks of releasing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe were ‘going right up to the wire’. The Prime Minister further added that the conversation to bring Zaghari-Ratcliff back was moving forward, however, he couldn’t say more as the negotiations are underway.

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

But who is Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, why was she detained in Iran, and how her arrest is related to a multi-million-pound debt owed by the UK to Iran. 

Who is Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe?

A 43-year old Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a dual British-Iranian National. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was born in Tehran, completed her English literature degree at Tehran University and became an English teacher.

Reportedly, she then worked for multiple charity organizations including the International Federation of Red Cross, Japanese International Co-operation Agency, World Health Organisation, and Red Crescent Societies before coming to Britain on scholarship to study Communication Management at the London Metropolitan University.

When Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested?

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested on April 3, 2016, by the Iranian Government, even though she has always denied the charges leveled against her. At the time of her arrest in 2016, Zaghari-Ratcliff was working as a project manager with Thompson Reuters Foundation since 2011.

The foundation is a charity that works towards socio-economic progress, media freedom, and human rights. Before Thompson Reuters Foundation, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had worked with an international development charity, BBC Media Nation.

Before her arrest, she was living in Hampstead in London with her husband and their daughter.

Why was Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe detained and arrested by the Iranian Government?

The British-Iranian National, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Imam Khomeini International Airport. As per the guards, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was hosting a ‘foreign-linked hostile network’ while on her visit to Iran.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested with her 22-month old daughter while on a holiday to visit her family and to celebrate the Iranian New Year. Thompson Reuters Foundation and BBC Media Nation clarified that she was not working at the time and was on a holiday.

After her arrest on April 3, 2016, she was sentenced to five years in jail on November 9 the same year. Out of 5, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliff spent four in Evin Prison in Tehran and one year under house arrest at her parent’s house.

Her family also accused the Iranian authorities of torturing her when she was serving her sentence in prison.

Charges of spreading propaganda against Iranian Government

After Zaghari-Ratcliffe completed her 5-year term, she was sentenced to another year in jail in April 2021 and was banned from leaving Iran on the charges of spreading propaganda against the Government of Iran.

As per her lawyer, Nazanin was charged for taking part in a protest 12 years ago in London and for talking to BBC Service at the time.

Multi-million-pound debt owed by UK to Iran and its connection with the case

According to the Iranian Government, the UK government owes Iran 400 million pounds for the sale of defence equipment back in the 1970s. The deal happened before the Iranian Revolution when both the nations used to be allies.

Reportedly, Iran claims that the UK promised 1,750 chieftain tanks, as well as other vehicles for which Farah Diba paid for but none, were delivered. Farah Diba was the widow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and was ousted by the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Even though the Iranian and UK governments have maintained that there is no connection between the 400 million pound debt and the Zaghari-Ratcliffe Case, many have accused Iran of holding the British-Iranian National because of the debt.

Notably, soon after the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was announced, the British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed that the UK Government and Tehran have resolved the debt issue.

Where is Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe now?

On March 14, 2022, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given her UK passport back by the Iranian Government. She reunited with her family on March 17 after a gap of 6 years. After her release, Zaghari-Ratcliffe flew from Iran to Oman and finally to the United Kingdom.