Family of freed Brit Anoosheh Ashoori say they look forward to rebuilding their lives together

The family of Anoosheh Ashoori have said they are looking forward to rebuilding their lives together following his release from Iran.

The 67-year-old retired engineer from Lewisham has been detained in Evin Prison, Tehran, since August 2017.

He was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents for alleged links to Israel during a three-week visit to see his elderly mother, and sentenced to 10 years in prison for “cooperating with a hostile state” and “obtaining illicit funds.

However his family have said this is completely spurious, saying he has never been or had any connection to Israel.

Anoosheh was released by the Iranian government alongside fellow British-Iranian hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on Wednesday after the UK repaid its £400 million historic arms debt owed to Iran.

The families expect Anoosheh and Nazanin to return on Wednesday night.

“We are delighted to confirm that Anoosheh has been released and will be returning to the UK today after five long years,” said his family in a statement.

“This day has been a long time coming, and we are thankful for the efforts of everyone involved in bringing Anoosheh home.

“1672 days ago our family’s foundations were rocked when our father and husband was unjustly detained and taken away from us.

“Now, we can look forward to rebuilding those same foundations with our cornerstone back in place.”

Anoosheh - who has dual nationality - first moved to the UK in 1972 to study, and has lived in London with his family since 2005.

He went back to Iran for several years for family reasons, and returned again with his wife and their two children -  daughter Elika, now 35 and son Aryan, now 32.

His family has been here ever since.

Anoosheh is a retired humanitarian engineer who dedicated his career to designing building materials to help protect those in regions that are earthquake prone and where building costs are prohibitive.

His self-designed products were key to the reconstruction efforts in the city of Bam in Iran after the 2003 earthquake.

His MP Janet Daby tweeted, “I am overjoyed by this news and for the family.

“Perseverance was key to ensure that the government pressed for Anoosheh’s release/

“I am happy to have played a role in supporting the efforts to Free Anoosheh.

“I look forward to celebrating with his family.”