Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been temporarily released from prison in Iran because of the coronavirus outbreak, her husband says.<\/p>\n
The British-Iranian charity worker will be required to wear an ankle tag and remain within 300m (984ft) of her parents’ home in Tehran.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe issue now is to make it permanent,\u201d her husband Richard Ratcliffe said.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cIt is hard to relax just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iran has temporarily released tens of thousands of prisoners in recent weeks in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, it said it had released about 85,000 prisoners who had tested negative for the virus and had posted bail.<\/p>\n
There had been reports that Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be released earlier this month, but she was kept in detention.<\/p>\n
The 41-year-old from London was jailed for five years in 2016 after being convicted of espionage charges that she has always denied. The UK has also insisted she is innocent.<\/p>\n
She was arrested at Tehran airport after visiting her family on holiday. She insists the visit was to introduce her daughter Gabriella to her relatives.<\/p>\n
What has the reaction been?<\/strong><\/p>\n “I am relieved that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today temporarily released into the care of her family in Iran,\u201d Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge the regime to ensure she receives any necessary medical care,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cMy feelings today have been all of a mix \u2013 pleased at the happiness for Nazanin and Gabriella, but fear this is a new drawn out game of chess,\u201d Mr Ratcliffe said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is one feeling to walk out of prison. It is completely different to walk back in. No-one should be asked to go and be a hostage again. So we are watching carefully,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In a statement released through the Free Nazanin campaign, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe said she was \u201cso happy to be out\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cEven with the ankle tag, I am so happy,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing out is so much better than being in – if you knew what hell this place is. It is mental. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming home.”<\/p>\n What\u2019s the background?<\/strong><\/p>\n Earlier this year, Mr Ratcliffe urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to be tougher with Iran. He said there had been \u201cno breakthrough\u201d in efforts to secure her permanent release.<\/p>\n Mr Johnson has previously said he would leave “no stone unturned” to help free Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe.<\/p>\n The charity worker remains on medication for depression and on beta blockers – medicines which slow down the heart – for the panic attacks she’s been suffering in jail, her husband said at the time.<\/p>\n Her family and the UK government has always maintained her innocence and she has been given diplomatic protection by the Foreign Office – meaning the case is treated as a formal, legal dispute between Britain and Iran.<\/p>\n While he was foreign secretary, Mr Johnson mistakenly said that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been in Iran training journalists when she was arrested.<\/p>\n She has always maintained she was in Iran visiting relatives.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n