Confirmation of Nazanin Zaghari's Arrest: She Participated in 'Subversive Projects'

The IRGC of Kerman Province confirmed the arrest of Nazanin Zaghari by this organization and the transfer of her case to Tehran, accusing the Iranian-British citizen of participating in 'subversive projects' and being 'one of the main ringleaders linked to foreign entities.' After more than two months since Ms. Zaghari's arrest, this confirmation has been made. According to the official news agency of the Iranian judiciary, the public relations of the IRGC of Kerman Province announced on Wednesday, June 26, that Ms. Zaghari 'participated in the design and implementation of media and cyber projects aimed at the soft overthrow of the Islamic Republic' by being a member of foreign companies and institutions. This organization also accuses Ms. Zaghari of being 'one of the main ringleaders of hostile institutions that have carried out their criminal activities over the years under the guidance and support of the media and intelligence services of foreign governments.' The IRGC of Kerman Province stated without providing details that 'the security forces of the IRGC had previously identified and targeted teams and elements affiliated with foreign services, which will be reported in the future as necessary.' The emergence of these accusations against Ms. Zaghari comes at a time when the Thomson Reuters Foundation had previously stated in a statement provided to Radio Farda that Ms. Zaghari had managed some of the foundation's projects for four years, but these projects were educational and unrelated to Iran. Reports indicate that Nazanin Zaghari, an Iranian-British citizen who traveled to Iran to visit her family with her infant daughter, was arrested in April while leaving Iran, her child was taken from her, and she is currently in prison. Richard Ratcliffe, Ms. Zaghari's husband, states that he has been unaware of her situation since June 5 and that she has likely been returned to solitary confinement. However, the IRGC of Kerman implicitly accused Mr. Ratcliffe of lying, stating that Ms. Zaghari has been 'held in a suite in Kerman prison and has regularly contacted her family by phone and had in-person visits.' According to the IRGC of Kerman, this Iranian-British citizen's case 'has been sent to Tehran for judicial proceedings, and further investigations are being conducted by the IRGC's intelligence organization.' Nazanin Zaghari, who has an English husband and is referred to in some reports by her full name Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is 37 years old and has been working as a project manager at the Thomson Reuters Foundation since 2011. Ms. Zaghari began her public relations activities in 2004 with the International Red Cross in London and subsequently worked for three years in the same capacity with the World Health Organization. This is not the first time that an Iranian with dual nationality has been arrested in Iran and accused of charges such as 'overthrow' and 'espionage.' Such incidents have occurred multiple times in Iran, with individuals holding dual Iranian-American or Iranian-British citizenship facing similar accusations and even years-long detentions. However, in most cases, these individuals have eventually been released after serving several months or years in prison without execution of sentences.