Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella in Iran

• GABRIELLA Ratcliffe celebrated her fifth birthday in the visitors’ room of an Iranian prison last week.

According to Richard, her father, Gabriella had asked to celebrate her birthday there “so mummy can come”. He said her joy “lit up the room” because she was able to see her mother. This was the third time Nazanin has celebrated her daughter’s birthday in jail.

My constituents continue to face huge uncertainty, and her continued imprisonment is taking an enormous physical and emotional toll.

Richard Ratcliffe has been on hunger strike in solidarity with his wife. Hundreds of members of the public have joined Richard outside the Iranian embassy to show their solidarity with the family.

Richard began his hunger strike to demand the government takes stronger action for his wife. In March Nazanin was granted diplomatic protection, escalating the case to a state-level dispute.

This means the UK could secure additional protections from further unlawful acts being committed by Iran against Nazanin. Since this step was taken, however, progress seems to have stagnated.

Nazanin’s case has been brought into national focus by the Conservative leadership contest. Her supporters will recall that Boris Johnson’s tenure as foreign secretary was deeply damaging for her prospects of freedom.

Those responsible for Nazanin’s imprisonment have cited his words as justification for a longer sentence, and so journalists should repeat Nazanin’s name whenever he says he is “ready for Number 10”.

With Jeremy Hunt also running a leadership campaign, campaigners are concerned that Nazanin’s case is being set aside until the contest is over.

Whoever becomes the next prime minister, it is unlikely that Jeremy Hunt will continue in his current role. This is bad news for Nazanin, with Mr Hunt being the third foreign secretary since she was jailed in Iran.

Despite political turbulence at home, I will continue to put pressure on the government to act. I want to see ministers formally request a private consular meeting with Nazanin.

I want to ensure that Iran grants Nazanin an independent medical examination and I want to see effective diplomacy used to ensure her release.

If these avenues don’t work Britain must consider calling a UN Security Council meeting to highlight the continued abuse of my constituent’s rights.

Every additional day that Nazanin spends in prison is a mark of failure for a country that seems unable to protect its citizens abroad.

TULIP SIDDIQ MP
Labour, Hampstead & Kilburn