Tehran Chief Justice: Claims by Western Media Regarding Zaghari's Case Are Not Confirmed

The Chief Justice of Tehran Province responded to statements made by Nazanin Zaghari's lawyer, who mentioned the possibility of her early release, stating that "none of the claims made by Western media regarding this case have been confirmed by judicial authorities." On Thursday, Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari's husband, told British media that there were signs of her early release. According to Ratcliffe, he observed the phrase "eligible for early release" next to his wife's name in the judiciary's database. Ratcliffe also mentioned to The Guardian that for the first time, the Deputy Prosecutor met with Nazanin Zaghari on Wednesday, a meeting he interpreted as a sign of potential progress in the case. In response to these reports, according to Tasnim News Agency, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, the Chief Justice of Tehran Province, said on Thursday, January 1, that "none of the claims made by Western media regarding this case have been confirmed by judicial authorities. If a decision is made regarding this matter according to regulations, it will be announced by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran or diplomatic authorities." Nazanin Zaghari was accused by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of collaborating with institutions opposed to the Islamic Republic and participating in "soft overthrow" activities, and she was sentenced to five years in prison. She was arrested by the IRGC on April 3, 2016, while attempting to leave Iran. The Chief Justice of Tehran Province also stated that Zaghari's new case is still open, and it is unclear whether she will be convicted or acquitted, or what punishment she might face if convicted. In December of this year, Zaghari's husband announced that another case had been opened against her on charges of "propaganda against the regime." However, a day before Zaghari's court date on December 19, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited Tehran, and the court did not take place as scheduled. This charge arose after Boris Johnson's statements regarding Nazanin Zaghari. Johnson had told Members of Parliament that Zaghari traveled to Iran to teach journalism, while the Thomson Reuters Foundation, for which Zaghari worked, stated that she had gone to Iran for a holiday. Boris Johnson eventually retracted his statements and apologized for them. Before his trip to Tehran, Boris Johnson announced that he would attempt to secure Zaghari's release. Now, the Chief Justice of Tehran Province states: "This case is currently at the primary stage, and if a verdict is issued, an appeals stage will follow." Previously, Bahram Qasemi, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, had stated that the ministry and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif were pursuing this case with judicial authorities due to "humanitarian issues." On the other hand, the Daily Telegraph reported on November 24 that Britain was willing to return money from a military deal from the era of Mohammad Reza Shah in exchange for Zaghari's release. After the 1979 Revolution, Britain refrained from delivering military orders to Iran. The Iranian and British Foreign Ministries have denied any connection between this issue and Nazanin Zaghari's case.