Credit: Getty
News
“I am not the same person”: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe reveals what getting back to ‘normal’ has been like
By Lauren Geall
3 years ago
1 min read
Speaking during a new interview, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe opened up about what it’s been like to return to her life in the UK after spending six years in prison in Iran.
Over four months since she was reunited with her husband and daughter after her six-year imprisonment in Iran, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has revealed how what it’s been like to return to her ‘normal’ life in the UK.
Speaking during an interview with the Financial Times, Zaghari-Ratcliffe – who was arrested in Tehran in 2016 while attempting to travel home to the UK with her then 22-month-old daughter – said that, while she was enjoying time with her daughter Gabriella and husband Richard, her time in Iran still hangs over the family.
“I think often people talk about, you go through imprisonment, and then freedom happens and then everything is just good,” she explained. “That’s not true. When freedom happens, especially when you’re away for a long time, then the whole battle of adjusting to the new life, and then depression happens.”
She continued: “And what is normal? What is normal for me? I am not the same person. Richard is not the same person. My daughter is eight. When I left her, she was not even two. We have all changed in really different ways.”
Zaghari-Ratcliffe also spoke about how her experience in Iran affected her during the first few days and weeks of her arrival in the UK – including in the form of nightmares that made it feel like she was still imprisoned.
“In my nightmares, they [the authorities] tell me that you’re free and I can’t find my shoes,” she said. “I’m looking for my shoes. I can’t find them. They tell me, we are waiting for the bus to come. The bus never comes. The fulfilment isn’t there. I think subconsciously I have not really accepted that freedom has happened.”
Credit: Getty
However, amid all of the memories and lost time Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been left to confront, there are moments of joy. Throughout her entire imprisonment, her husband Richard Ratcliffe was unrelenting in his commitment to pushing the UK government to secure his wife’s release.
In fact, at two points, he even went on hunger strike – for 15 days in 2019, and 21 in 2021. Now, however, Zaghari-Ratcliffe says her husband is smiling once more.
“He keeps telling me every single day that it’s good that you’re back, it’s good to have you back, and reminding me that these are very, very precious moments. We have gone through a lot to come out of it stronger.”
During her first public appearance at a press conference after her release in March, Zaghari-Ratcliffe touched upon the impact of her six years in prison – calling her experience “cruel”.
“There is no other way around it. It will be with me,” she told the audience. “It is never going to leave you alone. But I think at the moment I would rather just focus on the moments of coming back.”
If one thing’s for sure, Zaghari-Ratcliffe is entitled to spend every day of her freedom doing exactly as she pleases – and it’s incredible to see her being able to enjoy the moments she was denied for so long.
Images: Getty
Sign up for the latest news and must-read features from Stylist, so you don’t miss out on the conversation.
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.