British-Iranian national, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoush Ashoori boarded the flight for UK as Iran releases both the nationals after enduring years behind bars.
Iran government has released the 2 British-Iranian nationals yesterday after a long imprisonment. Additionally, Iran has also released a 3rd prisoner, Morad Tahbaz who is a British-American-Iranian national along with them.
Nazanin and Anoush were detained by Iran on the grounds of espionage. Nazanin was arrested at the Tehran airport in April 2016. Later, Iranian court sentenced her for planning to oust the government.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was a project manager at the Thomson Reuters Foundation since 2011. In March 2016, Nazanin came to Iran from UK to visit her family with her 2-year old daughter. While leaving for UK in April 2016, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard arrested her at the Imam Khomeini Airport.
On the other hand, Ashoori was detained in August 2017, when he visited his mother. In 2019, Iran sentenced him for 12 years for “spying for Israel’s Mossad” and further, “acquiring illegitimate wealth”. Ashoori denied both the accusations.
British government received both their nationals yesterday
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss confirmed their release on Wednesday. On her Twitter handle she said, “I can confirm Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoush Ashoori will return to the UK today, and Morad Tahbaz has been released from prison on furlough. They will be reunited with their families later today. We will also continue to work to secure Morad’s departure from Iran.”
Additionally, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote, “I am very pleased to confirm that the unfair detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoush Ashoori in Iran has ended today, and they will now return to the UK. The UK has worked intensively to secure their release and I am delighted they will be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
Repayment of Debt by UK to Iran
According to the Associated Press, the release of both the detainees pass over the negotiation process between UK, US and Iran. UK Foreign Minister, confirmed the release of the detainees after the Iranian media reported that Britain has paid the refund of 393.8 million pounds. However, the British government has not disclosed the details of the negotiations.
The debt controversy between both the countries has lasted longer than 40 years. After the Islamic Revolution, 1979, British denied to supply Iran with the 1500 Chieftain tanks and cancelled the agreement with the then Shah of Iran.
But Iran had paid for them in advance and Britain had to refund the amount, which was delayed. But, finally Iranian media has confirmed that Britain has paid the debt now.
Foreign Secretary Truss said that UK believed that the debt was legitimate and the government was just looking out for options to repay the debt that would comply with international sanctions.
Published By : Revathy G Sanal
Edited By : Subbuthai Padma
