Husband of detained Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe urges PM to challenge Iran

Richard Ratcliffe, husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian held in Iran since 2016, sits outside the Foreign Office in London on November 5, 2021. (AFP)
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  • Richard Ratcliffe has been on hunger strike outside the British Foreign Office for two weeks

LONDON: The husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has criticized the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his 鈥渃old decision鈥� to allow Iran to keep 鈥渁rbitrarily鈥� detaining British nationals.

Richard Ratcliffe has been on hunger strike outside the British Foreign Office for two weeks, and told the Press Association he intended to continue the strike until the middle of next week.

鈥淚鈥檓 feeling a lot flatter, it鈥檚 almost as if the batteries are a bit flat,鈥� he said.

鈥淎s the days go on, the tiredness is a bit more obvious. But I鈥檓 still going and still grateful for everyone who鈥檚 coming along.

鈥淏ut it is my intention still to be here when the Iranian delegation are in the UK.

鈥淭hey are due to come on Sunday so I at least intend on being here until the middle of next week,鈥� he added.

Ratcliffe said he wanted Boris Johnson to 鈥渢ake responsibility鈥� and push for his cause, especially with the arrival of the Iranian delegate at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

鈥淚t is a cold decision to let the Iranian government keep British nationals hostage, like Nazanin,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hat I would like him to say to the Iranian delegation is that this can鈥檛 go on. We should find a way.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got an opportunity this week 鈥� he should take it.鈥�

Ratcliffe added that his wife, a British-Iranian dual national who has been in Iranian custody since 2016 after being accused of plotting to overthrow the government, 鈥渓ives in a state of permanent anxiety鈥� in prison.