As Nazanin Zaghhari-Ratcliffe prepares for her first radio interview after being released from Iran’s prison, she was observed arriving at Parliament today.
After six years in Tehran, the British-Iranian citizen, aged 44, was finally reunited on Thursday with Richard and Gabriella.
Richard Ratcliffe was her tireless campaigner for safe returns to the UK. She and she will today make brief statements at Parliament.
It will be chaired by her local MP Tulip Siddiq – who worked for years to get her constituent out of Iran. On Sunday, the Labour MP shared a smiley photo with Ms Zaghari–Ratcliffe.
Ahead of the media event, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was seen arriving at Portcullis House with the Hampstead MP, her husband Richard and their two children.
Prior to the press conference, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle will meet with Richard and Ms Siddiq in a brief private conversation.
Before the event began, Ms Zaghari Rahcliffe arrived at the House of Commons along with Richard, the Hampstead MP and their two children.
After six years in Tehran, the British-Iranian citizen, now 44, was finally reunited with Richard, her husband, and Gabriella at Brize Norton.
Before the press conference, Sir Lindsay Hoyle will have a private meeting with Richard, Ms Siddiq and Richard.
After sharing an image with the MP and the volunteer for charity, she made the announcement.
She stated, “We just can’t stop smiling!” Amazing to welcome my brave constituent Nazanin home. “She is forever grateful to you all for fighting so hard for her freedom.
British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was held prisoner in Iran for six years, is pictured smiling with Labour MP Tulip Siddiq for Hampstead and Kilburn
When Nazanin the television cameras crowded outside the family’s North London house waiting to capture her much anticipated return home were sorely disappointed to discover the family had instead been whisked away to a safehouse.
The safehouse in question was in fact Dorneywood – an 18th century mansion sat on a sprawling estate which includes a swimming pool, croquet lawn and 215 acres of lush green woodland, the Telegraph reported.
Commonly used by Chancellors, the Grace-and Favour Home is owned and managed by the National Trust. The Prime Minister may allow any government member to take it.
The current Chancellor Rishi Javid and Health Secretary Sajid Javid are some of the previous owners of this home. John Prescott was also a former Deputy Prime Minster who is well-known for his croquet game on the front yard.
Two days of family peace were enjoyed by Nazanin, Richard and Gabriella.
The family is yet to make their West Hampstead return, so they were relocated yesterday to another safehouse.
Nazanin Zghari-Ratcliffe spent two days returning to the UK, settling with her family in Buckinghamshire’s Government-owned Georgian mansion.
Zaghari Ratcliffe, 44 was reunited in early morning hours at RAF Brize Norton with Richard, and Gabriella, but they were quickly whisked to the country.
Two days were spent by the family at Dorneywood, an 18th-century mansion that sits on sprawling grounds with a swimming pool and croquet lawn. There are also 215 acres of green forest.
The two of them enjoyed peace and quiet at the mansion. Richard, Nazanin, and Gabriella got to know one another before making pizzas in their industrial-sized kitchen.
Richard Ratcliffe posted a smiley picture of Gabriella, her mother, making pizza in Dorneywood’s enormous kitchen. This was swiftly retweeted quickly by Labour’s Tulip Siddiq who, like herself, has been tirelessly fighting for the freedom of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
Siddiq tweets: “Nazanin said to me that she misses most when she is in prison – everyday moments with her child.” Gabriella chose to make homemade pizzas today for lunch.
Foreign Office officials asked the two to remove the photos, fearing that their locations might be compromised.
Now, the family has been transferred to another location together with Anoosheh Ashoori (67), who was released along Nazanin earlier this month.
Nazanin, together with Ashoori of dual citizenship, landed in Britain on Thursday morning after the UK had finally settled a long-standing Iran debt.
After a trip to Iran, during which she met her daughter with her parents, the 44-year old was taken into custody by Imam Khomeini’s Iranian Revolutionary Guard on security charges.
The accusation was that she plotted to overthrow Iranian authorities.
Ashoori, aged 67, was in Tehran visiting his grandmother in August 2017, when he was taken into custody. Ashoori was accused of spying and was kept in Evin prison nearly five years.
They have both vigorously and consistently denied all allegations.
After months of intense diplomatic negotiations between London, Tehran and Tehran, their release was achieved.
Finally, they are back: After Nazanin had been held for almost six years in Iran, the Zaghari/Ratcliffe Family is finally untied
Following the horrendous six-year imprisonment of the mother-of-1 in Tehran jail for spying allegations (pictured prior to her arrest), the family has been reunited.
He was a tireless advocate for Nazanin’s release, and was instrumental to her liberation.
The newspaper quoted him as saying that people come out with an extra drive to make up the time lost and stop other people having to face the evil guys who they think are responsible.
“And this can lead to different things. She’s probably happy. But, she won’t know where her head is in six months. She’s probably feeling less mad today than she did a week ago. Freedom is the best way to change your outlook.
MailOnline was informed by Nazanin’s neighbors that Nazanin cannot wait for Gabrielle to go to school again like every other mother.
Barbara’s parents John and Barbara joke that her son’s North London house needs to be cleaned immediately after many years without her. They are now considering moving up from Hampshire for the job.
As Gabriella rushed into her mother’s arms — the intimate moment obscured from the camera as they stood behind a screen — we heard, amid the tears, the excited babble of a little girl’s voice. Gabriella said to her mother, ‘You smell good,’ before Nazanin responded: “Do you?” However, I haven’t taken a shower in 24 hours.
Finally, they are reunited. Nazanin Zghari-Ratcliffe, holding Gabriella, seven years old, along with Richard her husband. Anoosheh and Elika Ashoori were pictured with the family after landing in Britain.
Nazanin’s North London neighbors and friends said that Richard and Gabriella were ‘obviously overjoyed’ to have mummy home. Although there is so much happening, Richard explained that the couple just want to return to their normal lives – going for walks or going to coffee shops.
A neighbor added that Nazanin seemed most enthusiastic about Gabriella’s morning school trip and picked her up at night like every other parent. It’s so wonderful for them.
One neighbor stated: “They fled here on Wednesday afternoon, and Richard indicated that they weren’t likely to return for at least a few days.” It will be like they’re taking the first steps back to normality when they return home now that everyone is together.
Nazanin served as a project manger for Thomson Reuters Foundation. The Thomson Reuters Foundation is a charitable arm that covers the lives and well-being of those around the globe who have struggled to be free or fair.
In an interview by the charity after her release, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Antonio Zappulla described her as ‘a very dedicated and bubbly colleague’, adding: ‘I didn’t know just how resilient she is. It is a source of admiration that I cannot help but admire. Nazanin had a difficult life, but she never lost her heart. Nazanin is an extraordinary woman with a remarkable family.
After landing in the UK, Nazanin and Gabriella share a moment of pure joy.
Nazanin spent two days blissful in Dorneywood, with her family. This was after Channel 4 revealed that they will be airing a documentary about Richard Ratcliffe’s efforts to release his wife during the past six year.
Nazanin, a documentary of one-episode, is about Mr Ratcliffe and his life trying to balance a political campaign and raising Gabriella.
The broadcaster said it includes how the youngster coped with separation from her mother, and the moment Mr Ratcliffe realised her detention was linked to a £400 million debt dating back to the 1970s.
The final days of negotiations between the British Foreign Office, Tehran, and Mrs Zaghari Rathcliffe’s return home are also covered.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: ‘Nazanin is an intimate, access-driven documentary – part love story, part political thriller. The documentary is a heartfelt story that tells the human side of Nazanin’s life. It also features original observational filming and never-before seen footage Nazanin herself has taken about her experience.
Nazanin will air in later part of the year.