Latest news with #Nazanin
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband blasts 'stalling' government over Brit couple
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has told the Mirror he believes the UK government has a "playbook of stalling" when it comes to detained Brits in Iran For nearly six excruciating years, Richard Ratcliffe's wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, was held hostage in Iran. Arrested on false charges of espionage and plotting to topple the Iranian regime, the British-Iranian citizen became a diplomatic pawn between the UK and Iran. Richard campaigned tirelessly to secure his wife's freedom, and reunite their family - with Nazanin cruelly separated from her daughter Gabriella when she was only a baby. Richard, who has advised the family of the British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who are currently detained in Iran, on their own campaign to help bring their parents home, told the Mirror that he believes the UK government has a "playbook of stalling" when it comes these cases. He also added that the way the Foreman family had allegedly been treated before launching their public campaign was "depressing" and suggested the Foreign Office had learned few lessons from Nazanin's case, despite making "promises" to change their approach. "I found it really alarming that in the six months since Craig and Lindsay were taken hostage, the family had not met the Foreign Secretary or any Minister, or even the Ambassador - and that only changed when they decided to go public," Richard said. "It had been the same in Nazanin's case. So it was depressing to see none of the lessons from our had been learned, despite the Foreign Secretary's promises in the elections to transform consular protections." The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, and a spokesperson said to the Mirror in response to Richard's claims, "We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.' Lindsay and Craig are believed to be held in Kerman Prison, but their family has had little contact, and distressingly, doesn't know very much about the conditions the couple is enduring. The couple were arrested at the start of the year, whilst embarking on a motorbike trip from Spain to Australia, and undertaking a project about what makes a good life as they went, connecting with strangers and learning about communities. They have been accused of espionage by the Iranian authorities, something their family has insisted is utterly false. It was supposed to be the adventurous trip of a lifetime: but the couple suddenly went out of contact with their family as they were travelling through Iran - and never arrived at their hotel. In early June, the Foremans were due to be transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran - where Nazanin was imprisoned between 2017 and her eventual release in 2022. However, just weeks later, Is raeli strikes hit the infamous facility, and Lindsay and Craig's family had no idea if they were safe, or whether the planned transfer had even gone ahead. Through the Foreign Office, Iranian authorities have since said that the couple are in Kerman - but their four children spent weeks in an unbearable limbo, with no idea what was going on. Richard told the Mirror he found it "really shocking" that the UK government had seemingly not stayed on top of the couple's whereabouts during the conflict. "I was really shocked that the government had lost track of them in the middle of the Iran-Israel war, and had just closed the Embassy and not updated the family," the campaigner said. "When Evin prison got bombed, the only thing that mattered was proof of life. Not a vague assurance from the Iranian authorities, but a phone call to the family where they confirmed where they were, and a visit from an independent doctor to confirm they are ok. "It is quite astonishing that after six months, the government still has not secured that." The embassy in Tehran has since been reopened, and Hamish Falconer MP - Minister for the Middle East said, "We will continue to play our full role to ensure the safety of British nationals in Iran." Richard explained that during his own family's ordeal, "The main thing that kept us going across the years was knowing we were not alone, finding all these people following our story and caring." He added, "So talking to other families in the same shoes helped me understand our own story better - to realise Iran's games weren't personal, and to better spot the UK's playbook for stalling. That made it gradually easier to navigate, to know the game we were a chess piece in. It takes us all time to accept. Richard revealed to the Mirror some of the advice he shared with Lindsay and Craig's family as they campaign to secure the release of their "generous and fun" parents. "The main thing I told them when we first met was that they needed to get it confirmed where they were, and that they were still alive," Richard said, but added that their journey will likely differ from his own during those difficult years when Nazanin was imprisoned. "I told them that there is no road map - and what works for them will be their own path. But they should remember that the government's interests were different from the family's, and that it would continually find ways to kettle the campaign, and stop their suffering getting in the way of other agendas. "They would get sympathy, but they would have to push hard for any action." Lindsay and Craig's children encourage anyone moved by their parents' story to write to their MP to help their campaign to secure the couple's release from Iran.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Family of Brit tourists locked up in Iran for 'espionage' all 'living in solitary confinement'
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has spoken to the Mirror about the 'isolation' experienced by the families of Iranian hostages - as Lindsay and Craig Foreman's detention in the country continues Campaigner Richard Ratcliffe worked for years to secure the released of his wife, innocent hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, from Iran. Nazanin was falsely accused of espionage, propaganda, and plotting to topple the Iranian regime - and was imprisoned between 2016 and 2022 in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison. Richard likened the "isolating" experience of his wife's imprisonent on trumped-up charges, to the Mirror as being "like the whole family goes into solitary confinement." The campaigner has recently advised the family of Lindsay and Craig Foreman, a British couple who were detained in Iran on charges of espionage early in the year - something their children have categorically denied. 'Brit parents jailed in Iran fell into a common trap, there's only one way out' 'Our parents are stuck in jail abroad - their trip of lifetime turned into hell' Richard said, "It is such an isolating and terrifying experience at the beginning. It is like the whole family goes into solitary confinement," adding that when he advised the family, "The main thing I told them when we first met was that they needed to get it confirmed where they were, and that [Lindsay and Craig] were still alive." Two of the Foreman's sons, Joe and Kieran, spoke to the Mirror about their ordeal, and the huge emotional impact it had on their family, as they still do not have a clear picture of the conditions their parents are being held in, or contact with them. "You are fearful for how they are," said Joe to the Mirror describing the daily impact it had on the four siblings, explaining that it is "upsetting you can't just pick up the phone and speak to them," and adding that "everyday worried about their well being." Kieran said, "You don't have a second to think about your own problems – all you are worried about is their welfare, how they are." He added, that it can "Almost feel selfish for being upset about it all. It's a really weird situation where you feel helpless, you almost feel like you are falling down a pit and you can't get up." Richard explained that during his own family's ordeal, there were a couple of things that helped them all stay strong as they worked towards bringing Nazanin home. "The main thing that kept us going across the years was knowing we were not alone, finding all these people following our story and caring. "I always felt it was not our campaigning that got Nazanin home, it was all the people who listened and cared. That was what moved the politicians." He added, "So talking to other families in the same shoes helped me understand our own story better - to realise Iran's games weren't personal, and to better spot the UK's playbook for stalling. That made it gradually easier to navigate, to know the game we were a chess piece in. It takes us all time to accept." He also told the Mirror that the way the Foreman family had been treated before launching their public campaign was "depressing" and indicated the Foreign Office had learned few lessons from Nazanin's case, despite making "promises" to change their approach. "I found it really alarming that in the six months since Craig and Lindsay were taken hostage, the family had not met the Foreign Secretary or any Minister, or even the Ambassador - and that only changed when they decided to go public," Richard said. "It had been the same in Nazanin's case. So it was depressing to see none of the lessons from our had been learned, despite the Foreign Secretary's promises in the elections to transform consular protections." Lindsay and Craig are believed to be held in Kerman Prison, after being arrested at the start of the year, whilst embarking on a motorbike trip from Spain to Australia, and undertaking a project about what makes a good life as they went, connecting with strangers and learning about communities. In early June, the Foremans were due to be transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran - where Nazanin was imprisoned between 2017 and her eventual release in 2022. However, just weeks later, Is raeli strikes hit the infamous facility, and Lindsay and Craig's family had no idea if they were safe, or whether the planned transfer had even gone ahead. Through the Foreign Office, Iranian authorities have since said that the couple are in Kerman - but their four children spent weeks in an unbearable limbo, with no idea what was going on. Richard told the Mirror he found it "really shocking" that the UK government had not stayed on top of the couple's whereabouts during the conflict. "I was really shocked that the government had lost track of them in the middle of the Iran-Israel war, and had just closed the Embassy and not updated the family," the campaigner said. "When Evin prison got bombed, the only thing that mattered was proof of life. Not a vague assurance from the Iranian authorities, but a phone call to the family where they confirmed where they were, and a visit from an independent doctor to confirm they are ok. "It is quite astonishing that after six months, the government still has not secured that." The embassy in Tehran has since been reopened, and Hamish Falconer MP - Minister for the Middle East - has said, "We will continue to play our full role to ensure the safety of British nationals in Iran." Richard explained to the Mirror that when speaking with Lindsay and Craig's family as they campaign to secure the release of their "generous and fun" parents, he "told them that there is no road map - and what works for them will be their own path. "But they should remember that the government's interests were different from the family's, and that it would continually find ways to kettle the campaign, and stop their suffering getting in the way of other agendas. "They would get sympathy, but they would have to push hard for any action." Lindsay and Craig's children encourage anyone moved by their parents' story to write to their MP to help their campaign to secure the couple's release from Iran. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, and a spokesperson said to the Mirror in response to Richard's claims, "We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Iran 'hostage' Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband on exact move that freed her
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has told the Mirror exactly what he believes moved the needle when it came to securing the release of his wife, who spent nearly six years in an Iranian prison Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe spent nearly six years held hostage in an Iranian prison - separated from her family, including her daughter Gabriella, who was only a baby when she was arrested. Accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government and later propaganda, the innocent Nazanin, who is a British-Iranian dual citizen, became a diplomatic pawn between the two countries. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, worked and campaigned for his wife's freedom for years, and he has told the Mirror what, in his view, finally moved the needle and helped secure her release in 2022. "I always felt it was not our campaigning that got Nazanin home, it was all the people who listened and cared. That was what moved the politicians," Richard said, adding that, "it is such an isolating and terrifying experience at the beginning. It is like the whole family goes into solitary confinement." Richard has recently advised the family of detained British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who were arrested in Iran at the beginning of the year, on espionage charges. Their four children firmly deny the charges against the couple, saying they are "not spies" - and have recently launched a campaign to free their parents. Lindsay and Craig had embarked on what was supposed to be the adventurous trip of a lifetime: travelling all the way from their home in Spain to Australia on motorbikes, whilst undertaking a project about what makes a good life as they went, connecting with strangers and learning about communities. But in early January this year, the couple suddenly dropped out of contact with their family as they were travelling through Iran - and never arrived at their hotel. Distressingly, their family knows very little about the conditions their parents are enduring in Iranian prison, and have heard very little from them. In early June, the Foremans were due to be transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran - where Nazanin was imprisoned between 2017 and her eventual release in 2022. However, just weeks later, Is raeli strikes hit the infamous facility, and Lindsay and Craig's family had no idea if they were safe, or whether the planned transfer had even gone ahead. Through the Foreign Office, Iranian authorities have since said that the couple are in Kerman - but their four children spent weeks in an unbearable limbo, with no idea what was going on. Richard told the Mirror he found it "really shocking" that the UK government had seemingly not stayed on top of the couple's whereabouts during the conflict. "I was really shocked that the government had lost track of them in the middle of the Iran-Israel war, and had just closed the Embassy and not updated the family," the campaigner said. "When Evin prison got bombed, the only thing that mattered was proof of life. Not a vague assurance from the Iranian authorities, but a phone call to the family where they confirmed where they were, and a visit from an independent doctor to confirm they are ok. It is quite astonishing that after six months, the government still has not secured that." But, the campaigner claimed this was all part of the "UK's playbook for stalling" that he said he and his family had endured for years. The embassy in Tehran has since been reopened, and Hamish Falconer MP - Minister for the Middle East - has said, "We will continue to play our full role to ensure the safety of British nationals in Iran." Richard explained that during his own family's ordeal, "The main thing that kept us going across the years was knowing we were not alone, finding all these people following our story and caring." He added, "So talking to other families in the same shoes helped me understand our own story better - to realise Iran's games weren't personal, and to better spot the UK's playbook for stalling. That made it gradually easier to navigate, to know the game we were a chess piece in. It takes us all time to accept. Richard revealed to the Mirror some of the advice he shared with Lindsay and Craig's family as they campaign to secure the release of their "generous and fun" parents. "The main thing I told them when we first met was that they needed to get it confirmed where they were, and that they were still alive," Richard said, but added that their journey will likely differ from his own during those difficult years when Nazanin was imprisoned. "I told them that there is no road map - and what works for them will be their own path. But they should remember that the government's interests were different from the family's, and that it would continually find ways to kettle the campaign, and stop their suffering getting in the way of other agendas. They would get sympathy, but they would have to push hard for any action. "I found it really alarming that in the six months since Craig and Lindsay were taken hostage, the family had not met the Foreign Secretary or any Minister, or even the Ambassador - and that only changed when they decided to go public. "It had been the same in Nazanin's case. So it was depressing to see none of the lessons from our had been learned, despite the Foreign Secretary's promises in the elections to transform consular protections." Lindsay and Craig's children encourage anyone moved by their parents' story to write to their MP to help their campaign to secure the couple's release from Iran. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, and a spokesperson said to the Mirror in response to Richard's claims, "We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.'
The Irish Sun
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
BBC film about charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's horror Iranian prison ordeal will star Bafta-nominated actor
THE prison ordeal endured by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family will be featured in a BBC documentary and drama. 8 Joseph Fiennes is best known for playing William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love Credit: AP:Associated Press A drama chronicling what happened to Nazanin is being made by the Beeb. The four-parter is based on forthcoming book A Yard Of Sky, written by the couple, and Nazanin will be played by Narges Rashidi. In the documentary, which will be screened alongside the drama, the couple talk in detail about what happened and how they are rebuilding their lives. READ MORE TV NEWS The BBC has yet to confirm when they will be shown. 8 A drama chronicling what happened to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is being made by the BBC Credit: Getty Bella stars in dark comedy THE Last Of Us star Bella Ramsey will lead a Channel 4 drama called Maya, alongside Daisy Haggard. It follows a mum and daughter forced into a witness protection programme who relocate to a rural town in Scotland. The 'darkly comedic' six-parter starts filming later this year. A Grand return by Kevin GRAND Designs: House Of The Year is back as He will be joined by experts 8 Grand Designs: House Of The Year is back, pictured Kevin McCloud Credit: PA The final episode of the four-part series will then unveil the winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2025. Most read in News TV Kevin said: 'This series celebrates a sparkling range of what's possible in domestic architecture today. It's a great privilege to be able to help uncover these gems of creative imagination – and of course it's a complete joy to be back presenting House of the Year alongside Natasha and Damion.' The series will hit our screens on Channel 4 later this year. Iconic Grand Designs 'perfect' house which couple spent 20 years 'painstakingly' renovating hits market for £1.5million Bear Necessities A FIFTH series of chef comedy drama The Bear starring Jeremy Allen White has been confirmed, hot on the heels of the fourth landing on Disney+ this week. John Landgraf, the boss of FX who make the show created by Christopher Storer, described it as a 'magnificent story'. Phyllis clues up with Kev She stars as Cora – aka the Puzzle Lady – in whodunnit detective series Murder Most Puzzling on Channel 5 opposite hubby of 14 years 8 Phyllis Logan stars as Cora – aka the Puzzle Lady – in whodunnit detective series Murder Most Puzzling Credit: Channel 5 The role is opposite They had already appeared together as man and wife in BBC One historical drama Miss Austen last year, then got to do it all over again months later. Phyllis, who will be in the third and final Downton Abbey movie playing housekeeper Mrs Carson this September, said: 'I had no idea that he was being offered the part and was surprised and delighted, since I'd been away from home for ages. 'It was lovely to have him visit and to bookend the year by working together again.' The latest episode of Murder Most Puzzling is on today at 8pm. Rider's murder riddle SKY will delve into the shocking death of When the promising young rider died unexpectedly aged 21 in 2020, it was believed she had taken her own life. 8 Sky will delve into the shocking death of showjumper Katie Simpson Then a local journalist in Northern Ireland realised there were similarities between her death and another cold case murder, which led to Jonathan Creswell, the partner of Katie's sister, standing trial. He denied charges of rape and murder but was found dead at home shortly after the trial began in 2024. The three-parter, Death of A Showjumper, which lands on Sky and NOW on July 16, will tell the story through personal accounts from friends and family, and insight from the investigation team. Sacha a hairy scary The Ali G and Borat comic is revealed as the soul-manipulating demon in the series finale, complete with long hair and beard. 8 Sacha Baron Cohen is looking seriously scary in his latest role Credit: TNI Press 8 Sacha has finally been unveiled as evil adversary Mephisto in Disney+ Marvel miniseries Ironheart Credit: TNI Press The show is based around teenage genius Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, who has created her own version of the Iron Man suit made famous by Robert Downey Jr in the movies. Mephisto appears to tempt Riri to change her troubled past – and make her suit even more powerful with his magic. 8 The comic is revealed as the soul-manipulating demon in the series finale Credit: TNI Press
