Ratcliffe Says his Wife’s Detention is a Bargaining Chip for Iran

Richard Ratcliffe during his hunger strike in front of the Iranian embassy in London in 2019 (Getty Images)
Richard Ratcliffe during his hunger strike in front of the Iranian embassy in London in 2019 (Getty Images)
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Ratcliffe Says his Wife’s Detention is a Bargaining Chip for Iran

Richard Ratcliffe during his hunger strike in front of the Iranian embassy in London in 2019 (Getty Images)
Richard Ratcliffe during his hunger strike in front of the Iranian embassy in London in 2019 (Getty Images)

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has accused Tehran of practicing hostage diplomacy, saying that his wife has become a bargaining chip between the UK and Iran.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ratcliffe revealed that Iran is seeking to prevent his wife's release at the end of her sentence next March, or at least to threaten it.

Authorities in Tehran are charging Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual national, with a new wave of accusations to justify holding her in detention for additional time.

In early November, she appeared before a judge to defend herself against “charges of spreading propaganda against the regime,” but the trial was adjourned before Zaghari-Ratcliffe could present her defense and without a clear scheduling of the next hearing.

“It is formally a new charge but the same file as used against her last time. So it is double jeopardy,” he explained to Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We’ve seen other cases where a new file of accusations is brought in midway through, particularly when the case is suddenly adjourned as happened to us last hearing, so we will only know what they convict her of when they tell us,” he said.

Ratcliffe, who has been leading a fierce campaign for his wife's release for four years, considered that the purpose of the new case “is to prevent her release at the end of her sentence next March, or at least to threaten it.”

“The court process is just a veneer to provide a legal framework for hostage taking and justify holding her for as long as they want.”

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter after a family visit.

She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran’s clerical establishment.

Gabriella, Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s daughter, was reunited with her father in the UK on October 10, 2019.

As for Zaghari-Ratcliffe, she received a conditioned release from Evin prison in March 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic but remains under house arrest.

Iranian authorities have told her she will return to Evin prison following the hearings, which have been delayed.



Greek PM: Only US Can Engage Israel and Iran in Discussions

FILE - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks in parliament ahead of the submission of a no-confidence motion by opposition parties over the government's handling of Greece's worst rail disaster two year ago, in Athens, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)
FILE - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks in parliament ahead of the submission of a no-confidence motion by opposition parties over the government's handling of Greece's worst rail disaster two year ago, in Athens, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)
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Greek PM: Only US Can Engage Israel and Iran in Discussions

FILE - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks in parliament ahead of the submission of a no-confidence motion by opposition parties over the government's handling of Greece's worst rail disaster two year ago, in Athens, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)
FILE - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks in parliament ahead of the submission of a no-confidence motion by opposition parties over the government's handling of Greece's worst rail disaster two year ago, in Athens, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)

Only the United States has the clout to engage Israel and Iran in negotiations as the two countries continue to trade air attacks, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.

"Europe alone does not have the necessary influence to bring the parties concerned to the (negotiation) table. Only the United States can do that. So I think it is up to the President of the United States to decide which path to take," Mitsotakis said in an interview on the sidelines of an energy conference in Athens.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva, a German diplomatic source told Reuters.

"We are all very concerned about any factor that will push inflation up and significantly disrupt energy markets," Mitsotakis said.

He said Greece was also very worried about the safety of around 180 Greek-flagged and Greek-owned ships that sailed in the wider Arabian Gulf region when Israel first attacked Iran last week.

Greek owners control the world's largest fleet of oil tankers. Commercial ships are being advised by maritime agencies to avoid Iran's waters around the Strait of Hormuz, shipping sources said on Wednesday.