Summary

  • Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe says she should have been freed six years ago, in her first news conference since being released from Iran last week

  • The British-Iranian woman who always denied espionage also tells of the "very emotional moment" she was reunited with her husband and daughter

  • She says she understands what Morad Tahbaz, a British-US national still being held in Iran, is going through

  • Nazanin's husband Richard says it is "nice to be retiring" after the success of his campaign for her release

  • Another British-Iranian, retired civil engineer Anoosheh Ashoori from London, was also freed and allowed to return home

  • The UK government last week settled a historical £400m debt owed to Iran over a cancelled 1970s order for British tanks

  1. Thanks for readingpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeImage source, PA Media

    That brings to an end our rolling coverage of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's press conference at the House of Commons in Westminster.

    Our post-press conference story is now live - you can read it here.

    The live page writers were Jennifer Scott, Victoria Lindrea and Andre Rhoden-Paul. It was edited by Rob Corp.

  2. WATCH: PM caused detention to be longer, says Starmerpublished at 13:20 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer criticises Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accusing him of prolonging Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's detention.

    He says: "The prime minister caused this to go on for longer because of his words, and I do think there are questions that now need to be asked in relation to that."

    It comes after Johnson erroneously said in 2017 that the British-Iranian national was "teaching people journalism".

    Media caption,

    Starmer says PM's words may have meant Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held longer

  3. Commons speaker: The whole nation rejoiced at Nazanin's returnpublished at 13:16 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard and Nazanin meeting with Speaker Sir Lindsay HoyleImage source, UK Parliament
    Image caption,

    Richard and Nazanin meeting with Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle

    Before the press conference, Nazanin and her family met the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

    Photos of the meeting show them sat together with their local MP Tulip Siddiq.

    Sir Lindsay is said to have told Nazanin "the whole nation rejoiced" when she returned to the UK, adding: "You have achieved something that many others before you have not - in uniting the House in their efforts and hope to get you home".

    Nazanin then told him her freedom was "too much to absorb", saying: "I sometimes ask myself, is it real? Or is it part of the nightmare/ dreams I was having for such a long time?”

    Sir Lindsay also gave seven-year-old Gabriella a Speaker Bear fluffy toy, which she decided to call Speechless.

    Sir Lindsay gives Gabriella a Speaker Bear fluffy toyImage source, UK Parliament
    Image caption,

    Sir Lindsay gives Gabriella a Speaker Bear fluffy toy

  4. WATCH: 'I shouldn't have been in prison for six years'published at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    During the press conference this lunchtime, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was asked why it took six years for her to be released from prison in Iran.

    The 43-year-old expressed frustration at the UK Foreign Office's handling of her detention and said she felt like she was left behind.

    "How many foreign secretaries does it take for somebody to come home?" she said."What happened now should have happened six years ago."

    Media caption,

    Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe asks why it took six years to be released from Iran

  5. What did we learn from the Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe press conference?published at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

    Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her husband Richard spent almost an hour answering questions from the media following her release from Iranian custody.

    Here are the main points:

    • Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe expressed frustration at the UK government saying “I shouldn’t have been in prison for six years” and felt like "I was left behind"
    • The 43-year-old said she was “very grateful” for the people involved in getting her home to her family, including her “amazing” husband Richard
    • The British-Iranian national said “justice in Iran does not have any meaning” and the freedom of dual nationals "should not be linked to international agreements"
    • Speaking of her experience in detention, she said it would “always haunt me” and “it’s never going to leave me alone”
    • Nazanin's MP Tulip Siddiq said she is calling for a review by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of why it took so long to free her
    • Nazanin said there was a “whole lot of catching up to do” with her daughter and husband, and asked for privacy going forward
    • Roxanne Tahbaz, daughter of British-US-Iranian detainee Morad Tahbaz, said she was desperate to be reunited with her father who remains in prison in Iran·
  6. Postpublished at 13:03 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe says he hopes "keeping Brits safe" will become a pillar of UK foreign policy going forwards.

    Citing Ukraine and Afghanistan and "all the other places where people are vulnerable... it should be something that the UK does - it looks out for people".

    He concludes: "Human rights often get treated as nice, cosy rhetoric - but it's really important, our rights."

  7. Richard hopes UK can get others out of Iranpublished at 13:02 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    The final question is answered by Richard Ratcliffe - who says he is grateful to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for "getting it over the line" for Nazanin's release.

    He says he feels "a little guilty about giving her such a hard time" during his wife's incarceration, but adds: "Maybe that worked!"

    He says he hopes her success in this case carries on so she can get other prisoners back from Iran.

  8. How will Nazanin cope with her fame?published at 12:58 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin is asked how she will cope with her fame.

    She says her daughter told her in prison she was famous, but was the next most well-known after daddy.

    She told her daughter it was best not to be famous and have a normal life.

    But Gabriella said it would only last a week.

    "So we are bracing ourselves for a week of fame," she adds to warm laughter from the journalists.

  9. Richard asked about state hostage-takingpublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe says there is "a moral hazard" in linking a legal debt to a prison release

    "A legal debt is not a ransom."

    He says "it's a challenge for government to deal with state hostage-taking. The government needs to be brave, and being brave also means being tough."

    He said a review by the Foreign Affairs select committee of Nazanin's case would be "valuable" - "I think its worthwhile having that conversation in a a brave, open and honest way."

  10. Postpublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe is asked about the government's handling of his wife's case, especially over paying the debt.

    He said the people who took Nazanin will be "patting themselves on the back" for what they got, and will be "squeezing" the other prisoners for more.

    He says it is a challenge for the government and the international community to deal with state hostage-taking, but it "can't just been done with carrots".

    He adds: "The government needs to be brave and being brave also means being tough."

  11. 'Every human being has the right to be free'published at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin calls into question her role - or the role of any dual national - in making government deals

    "I have been a pawn in the hands of two governments over the past six years," she says.

    "I don't think anybody's life should be linked to a global agreement. Every human being has the right to be free."

    "My life was linked to something that's got nothing to do with me. Why do we have to pay a price for that?"

    She says the plight of dual nationals should not be linked to any government deals: "Their stories have to be separately dealt with."

  12. Nazanin looking forward to the school runpublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin reveals she still hasn't returned home to her flat yet and is "living in a suitcase".

    But she says is looking forward to the school run so she can get to know her daughter's friends and the community around.

    "There will be lots of adjustment," she adds.

  13. Postpublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin and Richard both say they did not believe she was coming home until the plane took off.

    For Nazanin, it was because "there have been so many games in the past".

    Richard says "it is a lovely feeling" to have his wife home.

  14. Daughter 'upgrading mummy and downgrading daddy'published at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

    Nazanin is asked how her first weekend of freedom was.

    She says her daughter had been upgrading mummy and downgrading daddy after all this time apart.

    She says there has been lots of catching up, and she particularly loved brushing and braiding Gabriella's hair.

    And asked how her parents were, she said she feared they would be upset, but her mum was very happy the whole thing is over.

    And will she go back to Iran?

    Nazanin said she would be very, very cautious.

  15. Morad 'should've come home with us'published at 12:44 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin says there were many moments when her hopes were dashed while awaiting her release from prison.

    "I felt like I was left behind," she says, adding that she fully understands what Morad Tahbaz is going through at the moment.

    "You can easily lose faith in everything" she says, and she herself had been through it at least twice over the course of six years.

    "It should not have happened to Morad" she says - or the other dual nationals still being held.

    "He should have come home with us."

  16. Can the UK government bring Morad Tahbaz home?published at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    A question for Roxanne Tahbaz - daughter of the US-British-Iranian national Morad Tahbaz who remains a prisoner of the Iranians - is asked about whether the government have any bargaining chips to get her father home.

    She says she hasn't been appraised of the situation, but she had been told he would be on a definite furlough from prison, which wasn't the case.

    She says she is not a politician so can't advise what the government can offer and negotiate.

    But she urges them to bring her family back home.

  17. 'We're part of a club that no-one wants to belong to'published at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe says he is not a professional campaigner and his job is to welcome Nazanin home and "be a normal family again".

    "We are all part of a club that no-one wants to belong to," adding "we all care for each other behind the scenes".

    He says he will continue to be involved in the collective efforts over hostages - but wants to distance himself from campaigning now Nazanin is home.

  18. Postpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Naazanin is asked if she learnt much about herself during her six-year ordeal.

    She said she went through a journey to get to know her strength and her faith, more than anything else.

    She says looking back, they paid a huge, huge price to go through that journey, but it has brought her closer to her faith and closer to her family.

  19. Memories of Gabriella sustained Nazanin in prisonpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Nazanin is asked what memories she held on to while in prison in Iran.

    She recalled Gabriella, then a toddler, playing - and drinking fennel tea in the garden in London.

    But she says the memories had faded over the six years in prison, and the family are yet to return to their home.

  20. Richard Ratcliffe asked about his campaigningpublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2022

    Richard Ratcliffe is asked whether he thinks his wife would have come home if it wasn't for him speaking out.

    Six years on, he says he still doesn't know the best solution.

    He says he waited for a month before he went public and was "consistently loud" - but he did not know if it would get them over the line and ensure Nazanin's return.

    My advice to any family is to follow your gut, he says, and his gut told him it was outrageous and to speak out.