The beaming smile of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe features on the front pages of the national papers on Thursday after she was freed following six years imprisoned in Iran.
With the war in Ukraine relegated to the second spot for the first time in three weeks, the Times splash headline says: “Free at last, Nazanin will ‘learn to be happy again’” alongside a picture of her on the plane out of Iran.
Thursday's Times: Free at last, Nazanin will 'learn to be happy again' #TomorrowsPapersToday #TheTimes #Times pic.twitter.com/JpHueGoWTU
— Tomorrows Papers Today (@TmorrowsPapers) March 16, 2022
The same picture dominates the front page of the Guardian as well, under the headline “Zaghari-Ratcliffe released after six years in Iran jail”. The paper also carries the background about how the deal was achieved, along with analysis that asks why it took so long to pay the reported £400m debt if that was what was required for Zaghari Ratcliffe’s freedom.
The paper reported that British-Iranian Anoosheh Ashoori, a 67-year-old retired civil engineer who was arrested in Tehran in 2017, was also released and was set to return to his family in the UK.
Guardian front page, Thursday 17 March 2022: Zaghari-Ratcliffe released after six years in Iran jail pic.twitter.com/H29qSKgRsW
— The Guardian (@guardian) March 16, 2022
The Mirror goes with the domestic angle inspired by Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband, Richard, saying that “after six years in hell” she was most looking forward to sitting down and having a cup of tea and seeing her seven-year-old daughter Gabriella: “Home … for a nice cuppa”.
Tomorrow's front page: Home.. for a nice cuppa #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/PND6PYQdVV pic.twitter.com/ElvlHJ0M0n
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) March 16, 2022
The Telegraph’s main headline is “‘Mummy really is coming home’”, taking the words of Labour MP for Hampstead, Tulip Sidiq, as she spoke in the Commons as Richard and Gabriella looked on from the public gallery.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 16, 2022
'Mummy really is coming home'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/WaK9XvDGjq
The Mail also likes the family line and has the splash headline “Mummy’s home at last!”, reporting that the Iranian-born project manager was looking forward to an “emotional reunion” with her family after her “six-year jail hell”.
Thursday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/oHezDBpYEn
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) March 16, 2022
The Express speaks to the picture of Zaghari-Ratcliffe with the headline “Smile that says: I’m free”. The i has the same trick but a very slightly different wording “Smile that says she’s free”, although its main story is “Russia bombs theatre being used as shelter”.
Front cover - Smile that says: I'm free #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/alkBrop7zt
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) March 16, 2022
The Financial Times also carries the picture and the headline “Zaghari-Ratcliffe released from Iran after UK pays $530m debt”. But it too leads on Ukraine with “Moscow and Kyiv explore neutrality plan in peace talks”.
Thursday's FT: Moscow and Kyiv explore neutrality plan in peace talks #TomorrowsPapersToday #FinancialTimes #FT pic.twitter.com/pPtdfVt4y9
— Tomorrows Papers Today (@TmorrowsPapers) March 16, 2022
The Metro leads with “Nazanin jets home”.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
— Metro (@MetroUK) March 16, 2022
NAZANIN JETS HOME
🔴Iran frees British charity worker after 6 years #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/BZcj8qTknO
