THE sister-in-law of a British-Iranian woman has called on the UK Government to openly condemn her captors after the Supreme Court of Iran rejected her appeal.

On April 3, 2016, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her infant daughter Gabriella were detained at an airport in Tehran as they planned to return home. The charity worker was imprisoned for five years on spying charges, but the final stage of her appeal was rejected, ending legal avenues to secure her release.

Cwmbran GP Rebecca Ratcliffe said: “We are asking the British Government to openly condemn the actions of Iran in the treatment of Nazanin.

“We were told that while the appeal process was ongoing, they would not condemn the Iranians. But that is now over.

“It has also come to our attention that an article has been circulated in Iran which stated her spying charges, which is the first we’ve seen or heard on the matter. It claims that Nazanin is working for the British Government as a spy through Reuters.

“We would like the government to openly refute these claims as they are plainly untrue.”

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: “We are deeply concerned by reports that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s supreme court appeal has been rejected, while Iran continues to refuse the UK access to her.

“The prime minister and foreign secretary have both raised Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case with their counterparts in Iran. The minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, has spoken to his opposite number repeatedly to express our concern.

“We have been supporting Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family since we were first made aware of her arrest. Mr Ellwood has met her husband in London and her family in Tehran to assure them that we will continue to do all we can for her.

“Our ambassador has repeatedly requested access to her so we can be assured of her welfare. However, Iran does not recognise Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s dual Iranian-British nationality. It considers her to be an Iranian citizen and refuses the UK access to her on that basis.

“We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested.”