Richard Ratcliffe says Government meeting ‘depressing’ as Free Nazanin hunger strike approaches fourth week

Richard Ratcliffe - who is approaching the fourth week of his hunger strike - has described his meeting with the British Government about freeing his wife as “depressing”.

Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian from West Hampstead, Camden, has been detained in Iran since 2016 and has not seen her seven-year-old daughter Gabriella in two years.

The 43-year-old charity worker has been held on bogus spying charges in Tehran - which her family believes is because of a £400 million arms debt, that Iran claims the UK owes.

Her husband Richard, 45, has been holding a hunger strike for almost three weeks outside the Foreign Office in Whitehall.

Yet he said after meeting with minister James Cleverly, he was left feeling deflated about the prospects of his wife’s release.

Mr Cleverly met with Ali Bagheri Kani, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, to discuss Nazanin’s incarceration.

However Mr Ratcliffe met with the Tory minister shortly after the talks to receive an update and described the results as “depressing”.

Tulip Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, who has been supporting her constituent throughout his hunger strike, said it was hard to watch him in “visible distress” as it became clear that “there was no real breakthrough and nothing new to report”.

The accountant began his hunger strike outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on October 24, after his wife lost her latest appeal against a second prison sentence.

He is now on day 20, and is being supported by family and friends who give him tea and electrolytes.

Mr Ratcliffe believes that she is being held hostage by Iran over a £400m arms debt, which the Iranian government says is owed by the UK.

“We’ve got specific demands but in short they are as follows - Nazanin is being held over some money, you owe Iran a debt so pay it back and that will keep us safe and also you have to do something to discourage hostage taking,” he told LondonWorld

“Nazanin and a number of others are being held hostage, that means being honest about it, calling it a hostage situation and punishing the guys responsible, whether that’s through sanctions or taking them to court.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said that Mr Bagheri Kani was urged to free Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other dual nationals being held in Iran.

It said in a statement: “The Iranian deputy foreign minister, Bagheri Kani visited the FCDO to meet senior government officials and minister Cleverly.

“FCDO representatives reiterated that Iran should take the opportunity to conclude the joint comprehensive plan of action deal on the table now.

“The Iranian deputy foreign minister was also pressed on the need for Iran to urgently release all British nationals unfairly detained in Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Anoosheh Ashoori and Morad Tahbaz.

“Minister Cleverly met Richard Ratcliffe again to reaffirm our commitment to reuniting his wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, with her family in the UK.

“The Foreign Secretary, minister Cleverly and the FCDO continue to work hard to secure the release of all those British nationals unfairly detained in Iran.”

A singalong vigil is planned for Friday at 6pm where he has been camped in King Charles Street.