British-Iranian citizens Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anooosheh Ashouri landed in the UK early Thursday after a bstopover in Oman after being released on Wednesday by Iranian authorities following an agreement with London.
Zagari-Ratcliffe and Ashuori landed at a base in Oxfordshire and were welcomed by their relatives. Erika Ashoori, daughter of businessman Anuche Ashuri, posted a photo on her Twitter account with the message “Happiness in the image.”
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss stressed that the release was someone's speculation “until the last minute,” adding that the last few days were “very emotional” for both families. “I am glad that Nazanin and Anoche have good spirits.” He said.
“I thanked my family for the stoicism they showed during a really difficult time. According to the British television network BBC, it is fantastic to welcome them back safely in the UK.” He said.
Trus also stated that Morad Tahbaz, a British-American dual nationality, was released from prison, although he currently does not have permission to leave the country. Therefore, he expressed satisfaction that he “reunited with his family in Iran”, but stressed that “this is not enough.”
The talks between London and Tehran began after an Iranian court rejected an appeal against a second prison sentence imposed on activists in October 2021. This sentence is a prison sentence of one year and another year's ban on leaving the country, and has already served for five years for espionage.
The case is related to the failure of Britain to pay a historical debt to Iran of 400 million pounds (about $526 million). London assures that due to sanctions against Iran, the payment for the reimbursement of funds paid for the purchase of chieftain tanks before the Islamic Revolution of 1979 was not made and never delivered.
Truss himself said on Wednesday that the debt was “legal” and that the authorities of European countries were “looking for ways to pay.” He also stressed that the release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other prisoners was “a top priority” for London.
A collaborator of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, 44-year-old Zaghari-Ratcliffe (Zaghari-Ratcliffe), was released bon probation in March after serving in prison for five years on charges of conspiracy and espionage. However, shortly thereafter, she was accused of new propaganda against the Islamic Republic for participating in the 2009 protests in front of the Iranian Embassy in London and issued a statement about the BBC's Persian service.
Meanwhile, businessman Anooosheh Ashouri was arrested in August 2017 while traveling to the country to visit his mother and was sentenced to 12 years in prison for pro-Israeli espionage and corruption in 2019.
(Including information from the Europa Press)
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