Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Husband concerned for her case after Iran's top general killed

The husband of a British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran has said he is worried about what the death of the country's top general could mean for her case.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker from London, has been detained for more than three years over spying allegations she denies.

Mr Ratcliffe said escalated tensions after the killing of Qasem Soleimani could make matters worse for his wife.

He plans to meet with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss her case.

"There's probably a concern, on a selfish level, as to what does this mean for Nazanin's case," he said.

"There's always a worry that things could get worse."

Mr Ratcliffe, whose in-laws live in Iran, said he is concerned about the implications for the region as a whole.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's parole was refused shortly before Christmas, he said, noting that she was "low" when he spoke to her on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

"We're obviously not hopeful at the moment... We were feeling like there's been no good news for a while, and I was getting ready to push the prime minister and the government to do more and to be a lot more assertive," he said.

"In some ways that still feels the right thing to do - but absolutely the wrong time."

The couple's British-born daughter Gabriella, who had been living with her grandparents in Tehran, returned to the UK in October.

Mr Ratcliffe's concern comes amid a major escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Iran's supreme leader has vowed "severe revenge" on those responsible for the death of Soleimani, who was killed by an air strike at Baghdad airport early on Friday ordered by US President Donald Trump.

The 62-year-old spearheaded Iran Middle East operations as head of the elite Quds Force. Mr Trump said Soleimani killed or wounded thousands of Americans.

US officials have said 3,000 additional troops will be sent to the Middle East as a precaution.

Mr Ratcliffe said it is "time to find a way to improve relations" between the West and Iran and to bring his wife home.

He said he received a letter from Mr Johnson shortly after the general election last month asking for a meeting, but that a date was not specified.

While he was foreign secretary, Mr Johnson mistakenly said that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been in Iran training journalists.

"We've been quite clear in public that I feel he owes us and that he needs to do what he can to bring Nazanin home and to bring [home] the others held over similar reasons," Mr Ratcliffe said.

He added: "As we're on the precipice of very dark times, it can only help that positive gestures are made."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×