A BRIGHTON MP has visited the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in his continued campaign to have her returned to the UK.

Richard Ratcliffe is now 17 days into a hunger strike and is protesting outside of the Foreign Office in London, calling for greater action from the government to bring Nazanin back home after being detained for five years.

MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle visited Richard to show his support for his campaign earlier this afternoon (November 9), as well as calling for the release of Anoosheh Ashoori, who has also been detained by Iranian authorities.

In a post on Instagram, Russell-Moyle said: "The pain and suffering inflicted on them, including through prolonged solitary confinement and the denial of adequate medical care, violated the absolute prohibition on torture and other ill-treatment."

Labour leader Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner also visited Richard earlier today, and said there was "cross-party support" for the campaign and that there must be a "resolution" to the case.

The Argus: Labour leader Keir Starmer (left) meets with Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Iranian detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, outside the Foreign Office in LondonLabour leader Keir Starmer (left) meets with Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Iranian detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, outside the Foreign Office in London

Richard admitted he is feeling weaker this far into the hunger strike, and said: "I'm definitely looking rougher and feeling rougher.

"I don't feel hungry but I do feel the cold more. It's a short-term tactic. You can't take it too long or you end up in a coma."

Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, Richard said he will probably end his hunger strike when the Iranian delegation leave the UN climate conference in Glasgow.

He said: "One of the things with a hunger strike is you get more stubborn the longer things go on, so you become less able to flexibly let go."

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Iran since April 2016 and was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of "plotting to topple the Iranian government".

Although her original sentence ended in March this year, she was later found guilty of propaganda activities against the government and sentenced to a further year in prison.

Nazanin denies all the charged against her, with Richard calling on the Prime Minister to deliver on a promise to repay a £400 million debt to Iran.

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