Iran prisoner swap means ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ says jailed Briton’s husband

LONDON: The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has said Iran’s release of Kylie Moore-Gilbert in a prisoner swap shows there is “light at the end of the tunnel” in the battle for her freedom.
Moore-Gilbert was apprehended by Iranian authorities in Tehran in 2018 and subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison over espionage charges that she has denied.
She was held in the same notorious prison as Zaghari-Ratcliffe when Iranian state media on Wednesday said she had been released in a prisoner exchange for three Iranians detained overseas.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national, has been detained in the country since 2016 after being sentenced for plotting to overthrow the Iranian government. She has also denied the allegations against her.
Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said on Wednesday: “I think probably on a selfish level there’s always a kind of a bittersweet wondering when it’ll be our turn. Of course there isn’t a queue, these things happen in a random order.”
He added: “The reality is that whenever there’s movement, there’s hope. I don’t know what it means for us, it’s definitely a good thing for Kylie and it’s definitely a good thing for all of us that deals are being done.”
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested in Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport while traveling with her young daughter Gabriella to visit her parents in April 2016.
The UK government later afforded her diplomatic protection. It argues her innocence and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet international law obligations.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released from prison in March amid the coronavirus pandemic but remains under house arrest.
She faces a fresh trial on charges of spreading propaganda against Tehran, just months before her expected release in March.
Iranian authorities have told her she will return to Evin prison following the hearings, which have been delayed.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denounced Iran’s decision to bring forward new charges.
Ratcliffe described the charges as “spurious” and “indefensible and unacceptable,” saying: “I think we have to always prepare for the worst, hope that the (UK) government pulls something out of the hat and that she’s home for Christmas or is at least home in March, but fully expect the closer we get to the end of her sentence the more likely we get bad news and it gets extended.”
UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, who has condemned Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s treatment as “unacceptable and unjustified,” hailed Moore-Gilbert’s release and return to Australia.
“I call on the Iranian government to release all remaining dual British nationals arbitrarily detained and allow them to reunite with their loved ones,” he said.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s local MP Tulip Siddiq said: “Now let’s make this a Christmas reality for Nazanin too.”

Iran prisoner swap means ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ says jailed Briton’s husband