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Sinead Butler
Mar 17, 2022
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter runs to hug her mother in airport reunion
Sky News
After years of detention in Iran, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been freed and a photo has captured the heartwarming moment she was reunited with her family in the UK.
The British-Iranian had been detained in Iran in 2016 for the past six years, accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government and in April last year was sentenced to an additional year in prison as well as a year-long travel ban on new charges of "propaganda against the system." She has consistently denied these charges.
After months of negotiations between the UK and Iranian government, Nazanin and Anoosheh Ashoori - another British-Iranian detainee held on alleged spying charges - were released and flew out of Teran on Wednesday.
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In the photo, a smiley Nazanin can be seen holding her seven-year-old daughter Gabriella as she embraced her husband Richard Ratcliffe as he kissed her forehead when the family was reunited.
Throughout the six years, Richard had been tirelessly campaigning for Nazanin to be released and went on a 21-day hunger strike last year to fight for his wife's freedom.
Nazanin and Anoosheh were released after the UK settled a debt to Iran of almost £400m dating from the 1970s, when Iran ordered British tanks and armoured vehicles. After the Iranian revolution in 1979, the UK cancelled the order and Iran demanded its money back for undelivered vehicles.
Social media reacted to the touching image of Nazanin's family which went viral:
No place like home\nThank you to everyone who made this possible, to all of the care and campaigning, and diplomatic efforts.\nYou have made us whole.\n#NazaninIsFreepic.twitter.com/9nPg4Adi6K— Free Nazanin (@Free Nazanin) 1647485304
Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, Tulip Siddiq shared the photo of the family of three who are her constituents and expressed her delight at their reunion.
"The moment Richard, Nazanin and Gabriella finally reunited after 6 long years. This picture makes me so happy and so proud of all 3 of my brave constituents. Thank you everyone for your constant support for this incredible family," she tweeted.
The moment Richard, Nazanin and Gabriella finally reunited after 6 long years. This picture makes me so happy and so proud of all 3 of my brave constituents. Thank you everyone for your constant support for this incredible family. #NazaninIsFreepic.twitter.com/KZYMtFEA48— Tulip Siddiq (@Tulip Siddiq) 1647496351
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer shared the photo as "joyous scenes" and also praised Siddiq's work in helping the family reconcile "through a great combination of private advocacy and public campaigning work."
Tulip has been a tireless champion for the Ratcliffe family though a great combination of private advocacy and public campaigning work. \n\nShe should be proud of her role in bringing Nazanin home and making those joyous scenes of reunification with Richard and Gabriella possible.https://twitter.com/TulipSiddiq/status/1504334849263521796\u00a0\u2026— Keir Starmer (@Keir Starmer) 1647505381
Deputy Labour leader, Angela Rayner praised the photo: "What an incredible, beautiful image of a family, finally reunited," and also echoed the praise of Siddiq.
What an incredible, beautiful image of a family, finally reunited.\n\nIt is an honour to know Tulip, who never gave up the fight for her constituents.https://twitter.com/tulipsiddiq/status/1504334849263521796\u00a0\u2026— Angela Rayner (@Angela Rayner) 1647504147
The photo has since received thousands of supportive messages from people who are thrilled at Nazanin being released and welcoming her home.
\u201cThe bad stuff never defines us so today is a happy day and let\u2019s hope that it lasts a long time\u201d #NazaninIsFree https://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Claire Cohen (@Claire Cohen) 1647505816
A morning where I can face the headlines. #NazaninIsFreehttps://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Margaret Cabourn-Smith \ud83d\udc99 (@Margaret Cabourn-Smith \ud83d\udc99) 1647504265
a lovely picture to start Thursday with xxhttps://twitter.com/FreeNazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Christina Vaughan (@Christina Vaughan) 1647504564
Can't even imagine the emotions currently being experienced by this family.\nWelcome home https://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Punam Owens (@Punam Owens) 1647506382
The best news story for a good while. So happy to see this picture after all they've been through.https://twitter.com/FreeNazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— John Burke (@John Burke) 1647503409
The most joyful, glorious photo to wake up to. Delighted for the Ratcliffe family and hoping against hope that Nazanin now gets peace to settle into her life after the last six years.https://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\udf3b Vonnie \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\udf3b Vonnie \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647503243
This is a ray of sunshine in what is an awful world at the moment @FreeNazaninhttps://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Claire Carter (@Claire Carter) 1647502426
The strength, the courage, the determination of this family. Nothing but the highest respect for them. https://twitter.com/FreeNazanin/status/1504345084329877504\u00a0\u2026— John Lehal (@John Lehal) 1647504609
I\u2019m so pleased for the whole family..welcome homehttps://twitter.com/freenazanin/status/1504288513877028870\u00a0\u2026— Catrina Young \ud83d\udc99 (@Catrina Young \ud83d\udc99) 1647486984
If this picture doesn\u2019t make you cry\u2026https://twitter.com/tulipsiddiq/status/1504334849263521796\u00a0\u2026— G (@G) 1647501963
This has made my heart so full! A huge congratulations to the Zaghari-Ratcliffe family, to Tulip Saddiq & to everyone who has fought tirelessly for Nazanin's return home https://twitter.com/TulipSiddiq/status/1504334849263521796\u00a0\u2026— Sophie (@Sophie) 1647503347
Rebecca Ratcliffe, Nazanin’s sister-in-law told Good Morning Britain that Nazanin, Richard, and Gabriella, went to a safe house along with Ashoori and his family.
"... and Gabriella slept in between Richard and Nazanin last night for the first time in six years, so a very special moment," she said.
Rebecca also told the programme that Richard has messaged her this morning but "everyone else is still asleep."
"I imagine they're all pretty tired but he was certainly very buoyant this morning.
"He just said that he'd had a busy day, a busy night, they got to sleep not long ago but it was lovely to be with his family again. But also interestingly he pointed out today's the 17th March and six years ago on 17th March Nazanin flew out so there's a certain amount of symmetry in his story."
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