Emotional moment Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s five-year-old daughter Gabriella hugs her father as she lands back in Britain after more than 1,300 days in Iran where her mother remains in prison
- Gabriella has been living with her grandparents in Tehran since mother’s arrest
- But her parents decided to bring her home so she can be educated in the UK
- Father Richard says it was ‘hard’ for Nazanin to say goodbye but he is hopeful
This is the emotional moment the five-year-old daughter of the British-Iranian mother jailed in Tehran on spying charges is reunited with her father.
Little Gabriella, five, has been living with her grandparents in Tehran and visiting her mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at the notorious Evin Prison since she was arrested on spying charges more than three years ago.
But Nazanin and her husband Richard Ratcliffe decided to bring her back home to the UK so she can start school.
Mr Ratcliffe beamed as he hugged his daughter on her arrival late last night, who has now lived in Iran for most of her life.
Hugs for dad: Gabriella Zaghari-Ratcliffe is pictured with her father Richard in Britain for the first time in more than three years
Gabriella has been living with her grandparents in Tehran and and visiting her mother in the notorious Evin Prison since Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured) was arrested on spying charges more than three years ago
He said: ‘Gabriella came back to us late at night, a bit uncertain seeing those she only remembered from the phone.
‘Now she is peacefully sleeping next to me. And I am just watching.
‘It has been a long journey to have her home, with bumps right until the end – and I am grateful to all those at the British Embassy and Iranian MFA who helped smooth all those last blockages.
‘Of course the job is not yet done until Nazanin is home. It was a hard goodbye for Nazanin and all her family. But let us hope this homecoming unlocks another.’
Mr Ratcliffe is pictured beaming with his daughter Gabriella in his arms after three years of her living in Tehran with her grandparents
Richard Ratcliffe carries his daughter Gabriella through customs after landing safely in the UK
Little Gabriella clutched her dolly as she smiled alongside father Richard
Her father has fought tirelessly for the safe return of his wife ever since she was arrested at the airport in Iran in April 2016.
He has worked with several foreign secretaries in trying to secure her release, including now Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab.
The family suffered a set-back when Mr Johnson accidentally said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been spying, when her family maintain her innocence.
Gabriella is pictured with her mother Nazanin