UK Foreign Secretary: The Release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a Priority

Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, stated on Tuesday that the government is working to resolve the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian citizen imprisoned in Iran, as quickly as possible. According to Reuters, Boris Johnson reported to the UK Parliament, 'We are in contact with the Iranian government at various levels. This issue is a priority for the Foreign Office, and we are making every effort to resolve it.' Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who traveled to Iran with her young child, was arrested at Tehran airport on April 15 this year while attempting to leave Iran. On September 10, her family announced that she had been sentenced to five years in prison for 'actions against national security.' Ms. Zaghari worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a charity based in London, which is completely independent of the Thomson Reuters news organization and Reuters news agency. Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari's husband, told the BBC yesterday that Iranian officials are demanding the repayment of a UK debt to Tehran regarding arms purchases before the revolution in exchange for Nazanin's release. Meanwhile, Amnesty International expressed concern on Friday about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's physical and mental health, stating that Richard Ratcliffe said his wife's condition has severely deteriorated in recent weeks and that she is contemplating suicide. Richard Ratcliffe also informed Amnesty International that the pressures on Nazanin have brought her to the 'breaking point' and that her spirit has weakened to the extent that she wrote a suicide note and gave it to her cellmate. Philip Luther, the Middle East director of Amnesty International, stated that the news of Nazanin Zaghari's deteriorating health is very alarming, especially as she has been unjustly sentenced to five years in prison for actions against national security. Previously, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had accused her of participating in widespread anti-government protests in 2009, which were held in response to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in the presidential election. The British passport of Gabriella, Ms. Zaghari's daughter, who was born in Britain, has been confiscated, and she cannot leave Iran, with Ms. Zaghari's parents taking care of her.