Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Aletha Adu

Labour say ‘lazy’ Boris Johnson endangered Nazanin - and demand other Brits are released

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has accused Boris Johnson of worsening Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's ordeal in Iran.

Ms Rayner laid into the Prime Minister's inability to secure Nazanin's release when he was Foreign Secretary, before highlighting misleading comments that could have endangered her life as she was held hostage.

In 2017, Mr Johnson made a misleading statement about Nazanin which appeared to complicate her legal case.

He said she was "simply teaching people journalism" - a statement her family and her employer slammed as untrue.

At Prime Minister's Questions, hours after Nazanin and Anoosheh Ashoori are reported to have been released from custody today, Ms Rayner said: "I know the minister would agree this devastating situation must never be repeated and other British nationals still trapped in Iran need to be brought home.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been held hostage in Iran since April 2016 (via REUTERS)

“So will the minister commit to a review of these cases to understand what more could have been done by the British government to secure releases - and whether the lazy comments of the Prime Minister worsened the situation?"

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab replied: "I can’t yet confirm the reports we’ve seen in the media but of course it feels like positive signs" on whether Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be released."

He added: "No one wants more than me but I’m sure all MPs to see Nazanin - but also all of the arbitrarily detained nationals - reunited with their loved ones."

Following news of Nazanin's release, Richard Ratcliffe’s sister has said it felt like they were on the “home run” following the news that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been taken to the airport.

Rebecca Ratcliffe told the BBC : “It is quite emotional day today. It feels like we are on the home run now but until she leaves that airport we can’t quite believe it.

“We found out about an hour ago that Nazanin had been picked up and taken to the airport with her parents. She is still actually under Iranian control in the airport.

“She is still not free but it definitely feels she is about to be."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.