Increased Political Pressure May Lead to Nazanin's Earlier Return Home

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a 37-year-old dual Iranian-British citizen, was detained in April this year along with her two-year-old daughter Gabriella after a trip to Iran, just before returning to the UK. She has been sentenced to five years in prison without any charges being announced. Her case was among the topics discussed during a meeting between the Iranian President and the British Prime Minister on Tuesday. Hassan Rouhani met with Theresa May on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and although Iranian media have remained silent on the matter, the British Prime Minister's office stated that Ms. May expressed her concerns regarding Nazanin Zaghari's case following the prison sentence. Radio Farda interviewed Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari's husband, who is currently in New York. Mr. Ratcliffe, you are in New York, the city where the UN General Assembly is taking place, and where Hassan Rouhani and Theresa May met. Was the purpose of your presence in New York to raise your wife's case? Yes, I hoped that Theresa May would personally discuss my wife's case with the Iranian President. I also hope to deliver a letter regarding my wife to the Iranian President during these days. Our goal in coming to New York was to raise awareness of Nazanin's case as much as possible. The fact that the Prime Minister herself spoke about this case clearly shows that it is a personal priority for her that Nazanin and our daughter Gabriella return home as soon as possible, and I think this is an important message. Do you know how Iranian officials reacted to this discussion? No, I do not know. We are scheduled to meet with the British mission in New York in the coming days, and perhaps we will get more information then. However, about a month ago, when Theresa May and Hassan Rouhani spoke on the phone, as far as I know, they only discussed the case, and no response was given by Iran. In any case, this case is at a sensitive juncture, and we plan to file an appeal; we hope that Mr. Rouhani can arrange for a fair appeal process to take place so that all these charges are lifted and Nazanin can return home as soon as possible. Yes, the latest news was the issuance of a five-year prison sentence, and now you are talking about an appeal. My question is about your wife. Do you have contact with her in prison, and do you know how she is doing? Her family visited her about five days ago, and some family members saw her for the first time since her arrest six months ago and were shocked at how much weight she has lost and how her hair has thinned. However, they say she seems stable, and I think initially her physical condition was not good at all due to heavy interrogations. I spoke with her about two weeks ago when her sentence was announced, and she was very sad because she cannot see Gabriella and has spent one-fifth of our child's life in prison. However, she was also angry, and this was the first time in these six months that I heard her angry, which I saw as a positive sign because she still has the ability to be angry and fight back, saying this sentence is ridiculous. She told me that I have campaigned during this time and the British government has negotiated, and this issue remains unresolved. At the same time, from conversations I have with the families of other detainees, this will be a long process for her to overcome the psychological issues of this period and return to normal life. But the positive point for me was that she was angry with me, the British government, and the Iranian government for using her as a leverage. You mentioned leverage. Do you know what this leverage is being used for, and is there something that the Iranian government wants from Britain in exchange for your wife's freedom? This is a complex issue, and I don't think it necessarily relates to the Iranian government; it could be related to other power entities in Iran, and Nazanin was detained by the Revolutionary Guards. They have sent different messages at various times. Initially, it was said that this was to pressure the British government for an agreement, then it was suggested they might want to make a swap, and ultimately it seems the issue is something else. This is a highly political matter. It is not surprising that her sentence was announced a day after the level of diplomatic relations between Tehran and London increased, nor is it surprising that a Lebanese with U.S. residency was sentenced to ten years in prison during Rouhani's visit to New York. As a result, there is a political war going on inside Iran where Nazanin's case and others are being used as pawns. I do not know what they want for Nazanin's release, and the British government says it does not know either, but I feel that the more I can increase political pressure, the more the government will be encouraged to resolve this issue and bring Nazanin home.