'Tell him I love him... I hope he loves me': Jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter, four, sends emotional message from Iran to her father in London who she has not seen in person for three years

  • Four-year-old Gabriella visits her mother Nazanin in a Tehran prison twice a week
  • She lives with her grandparents in Iran and her father Richard cannot get a visa
  • Gabriella needs an interpreter to speak to her father in London over a video link 

By Tim Stickings For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter has sent a heartbreaking message to her father saying: 'Tell him that I love him and I hope he loves me'. 

Four-year-old Gabriella, whose mother is in jail in Iran, has not seen her father Richard for nearly three years after he was denied a visa to visit his family there. 

She lives with her grandparents in Tehran but has lost most of her English skills and has to speak to her father over video link with an interpreter. 

Her father would like her to start school in London but fears that separating her from Nazanin would further damage the imprisoned Brit's mental health, The Times reported.  

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard and their daughter young Gabriella, who is still in Iran

Four-year-old Gabriella (left), whose mother Nazanin (right) is in jail in Iran, has not seen her father Richard (centre) for nearly three years after he was denied a visa to visit his family there

After hearing of the alleged link between Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case and a dispute over an arms deal, Gabriella said: 'I want to fly to London and get the money and bring it back so Mummy can be free.'

She reportedly visits her mother Nazanin in prison twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays. 

The toddler is said to shout 'Goodbye Mummy, I love you' whenever she leaves from one of the visits.   

She has also drawn a picture of the united family although she was only two when they were last together in London. 

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2016 of spying charges, which she denies.

It was claimed last year that her release would not be granted until Iran and Britain settled a dispute over an arms deal dating back to before the Iranian Revolution. 

Both governments have denied a link between the two diplomatic disputes.  

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella. She is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2016 on false spying charges

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella last year. She is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2016 of spying charges, which she denies

Last month she went on a three-day hunger strike after Iranian prison authorities had allegedly refused to to grant her medical treatment. 

Her husband claimed that she had not been granted medical attention for lumps in her breasts, severe neck pain, and numbness in her arms and legs.

He also revealed the 40-year-old charity worker was striking over an attempt by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps interrogators to pressure her to turn informant for Iran in late December.

Mr Ratcliffe said the tactic, deployed at around her 1,000th day in jail, meant they were in a 'scary place'. 

On January 14, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt summoned the Iranian Ambassador to London to demand immediate access to healthcare for the British-Iranian dual citizen.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was on holiday visiting her family in Iran when she was detained at the airport by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on April 3, 2016, just before she was due to depart to the UK. 

LondonIran

Most watched News videos