THE prospect of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe being freed from an Iranian jail after more than three years has been raised by Iran's foreign minister.
Javad Zarif suggested the 40-year-old charity worker could be released as part of a prisoner swap.
Speaking at the Asia Society, he said: "We have an Iranian lady in Australia who gave birth to a child in prison, not even on bail, inside prison, on an extradition request by the United States because she was responsible as a translator in a purchase operation of some transmission equipment for Iranian broadcasting company.
"That's her charge. She has been lingering in an Australian jail for the past three years. Now we hear about Nazanin Zaghari and her child, and I feel sorry for them and I have done my best to help, but nobody talks about this lady in Australia who gave birth to a child in prison whose child is growing up outside prison with mother in prison.
"So, what can I do as a foreign minister? And I put this offer on the table publicly now. Exchange them.
"All these people that are in prison, inside the United States, on extradition request from the United States; we believe their charges are phoney.”
The foreign minister went on: "The United States believes the charges against these people in Iran are phoney. Fine. Let's not discuss that. Let's have an exchange.
"I'm ready to do it. And I have authority to do it. We've informed the Government of the United States six months ago that we are ready; not a response yet. If they tell you anything else, they're lying."
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested with her 22-month-old daughter Gabriella on April 3 2016 at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport as she prepared to board a plane back to the UK after visiting her family.
She was subsequently sentenced to five years in the city’s notorious Evin prison after being accused of spying. She denies the charge.
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