Iranian media outlets reported that a deal has been struck Britain to release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella, from detention in Tehran. AFP
Iranian media outlets reported that a deal has been struck Britain to release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella, from detention in Tehran. AFP
Iranian media outlets reported that a deal has been struck Britain to release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella, from detention in Tehran. AFP
Iranian media outlets reported that a deal has been struck Britain to release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella, from detention in Tehran. AFP

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe feels ‘no grounds for hope’


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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is losing hope that UK authorities will secure her release from Iran after MPs described her case as a diplomatic failure.

Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said his wife feels there "wasn't anything said that gave grounds for hope" after a debate on the issue in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

The aid worker was sentenced to a year of detention and banned from leaving Iran for a year after being found guilty of spreading propaganda, having completed a five-year sentence for alleged spying.

Britain said both charges lacked credibility and urged Iran to let her go.

But Mr Ratcliffe accused UK ministers of “enabling her abuse” by failing to stand up to Tehran and not imposing sanctions on Iranian officials.

He criticised the government for not sending an official to his wife’s most recent court hearing.

“What we were told was that they didn’t want to do something provocative that could cause harm to Nazanin,” he told PA.

“You either stand up and protect her or you allow it to happen. They are taking her to court for the second time on a second stage of nonsense when you’ve invoked diplomatic protection: you need to show that your protection should be taken seriously.”

Mr Ratcliffe said the government’s timidity was a contributing factor to the sentencing.

He said his wife was disappointed Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab did not answer questions on the issue during the debate. Mr Raab was speaking to the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, at the same time.

“I think she did feel that actually there wasn’t anything said that gave grounds for hope,” he said.

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said Iran had put Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other detained British citizens through “a cruel and inhumane ordeal” and the government continued to press for their release.

But Mr Cleverly declined to be drawn on whether the UK would impose sanctions on Iranian officials in retaliation for the new sentence.

“I’m not willing to discuss future sanctions designations for fear that might be prejudicial to any future success,” he told MPs.

“We do, of course, recognise that Iran’s behaviour is unacceptable in a number of ways – not just in the detention of dual nationals, but in regard to their international and regional actions. We call upon Iran to step away from this dangerous and self-destructive route they have taken.”

Tulip Siddiq, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe's constituency MP in London, said there was "no evidence" that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was doing anything differently to secure Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release.

“At the heart of this tragic case is the prime minister’s dismal failure to release my constituent and to stand up for her,” she said.

She called on the UK government to repay a £400 million ($555m) debt that Britain owes to Iran for a failed tank deal struck just before the 1979 Iranian revolution.

Squads

Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

RACE CARD AND SELECTIONS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m

5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m

6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m

6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m

7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

 

The National selections

5pm: RB Hot Spot

5.30pm: Dahess D’Arabie

6pm: Taamol

6.30pm: Rmmas

7pm: RB Seqondtonone

7.30pm: AF Mouthirah

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)