Nazanin

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Duration

60 minutes

15 minutes

Genre

Factual

Station

Radio 4

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
	20220318	Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held in Iran for almost six years before her dramatic release this week. Why? Ceri Thomas unravels the extraordinary story of a decades-old argument about an arms deal and a debt which had nothing whatsoever to do with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe - until the day she was taken in lieu of payment. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4. How an arms deal about which she knew nothing cost Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
01	20220214	What's the key to bringing home Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British woman who has been held hostage in Iran for almost six years? And how closely linked is Nazanin's release to a tank deal debt more than 40 years old? In episode 1 of Nazanin, former Today programme editor, Ceri Thomas, explores the origins of the debt, the apparent corruption which surrounded the deal which created it, and its long, difficult legacy. It's a story which begins in the freewheeling 1970s when the need to grease the wheels' of big arms deals seemed barely controversial, and when the Shah of Iran and a notorious middleman known around Whitehall as Mr 1%' were able to pocket millions in commissions paid by the UK. And it leads back to the fate of more than one hostage today. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 A birth amid a revolution, and an unpaid arms deal debt having ramifications decades on. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
02	20220215	A deal for the UK to sell tanks to Iran was cancelled after the Islamic revolution. The company behind it is owned entirely by the British government - International Military Services. Even today, it may hold the key to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 The story of the government owned company that may hold the key to Nazanin\u2019s release. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
03	20220216	In early 2016, the United States secured the release of some of its citizens imprisoned in Iran. Months later, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was taken hostage, caught up in the backdraft of the US deal. Her fate and the decades-old issue of an unpaid debt finally collide. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 The debt issue and Nazanin finally collide. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
04	20220217	Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, begins his public campaign to win her freedom. And the British government explores some creative solutions for paying off a debt it owes to Iran. Finally, in 2019 the UK and Iran head to the table to negotiate a deal for Nazanin's release. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 Richard Ratcliffe goes public as the UK government explore back channels for a deal. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
05	20220218	One more throw of the dice from the UK, and a new obstacle from America. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
	20220318	Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held in Iran for almost six years before her dramatic release this week. Why? Ceri Thomas unravels the extraordinary story of a decades-old argument about an arms deal and a debt which had nothing whatsoever to do with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe - until the day she was taken in lieu of payment. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4. How an arms deal about which she knew nothing cost Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
01	20220214	What's the key to bringing home Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British woman who has been held hostage in Iran for almost six years? And how closely linked is Nazanin's release to a tank deal debt more than 40 years old? In episode 1 of Nazanin, former Today programme editor, Ceri Thomas, explores the origins of the debt, the apparent corruption which surrounded the deal which created it, and its long, difficult legacy. It's a story which begins in the freewheeling 1970s when the need to grease the wheels' of big arms deals seemed barely controversial, and when the Shah of Iran and a notorious middleman known around Whitehall as Mr 1%' were able to pocket millions in commissions paid by the UK. And it leads back to the fate of more than one hostage today. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 A birth amid a revolution, and an unpaid arms deal debt having ramifications decades on. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
02	20220215	A deal for the UK to sell tanks to Iran was cancelled after the Islamic revolution. The company behind it is owned entirely by the British government - International Military Services. Even today, it may hold the key to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 The story of the government owned company that may hold the key to Nazanin\u2019s release. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
03	20220216	In early 2016, the United States secured the release of some of its citizens imprisoned in Iran. Months later, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was taken hostage, caught up in the backdraft of the US deal. Her fate and the decades-old issue of an unpaid debt finally collide. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 The debt issue and Nazanin finally collide. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
04	20220217	Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, begins his public campaign to win her freedom. And the British government explores some creative solutions for paying off a debt it owes to Iran. Finally, in 2019 the UK and Iran head to the table to negotiate a deal for Nazanin's release. Presenter: Ceri Thomas Producer: Matt Russell A Tortoise Media production for BBC Radio 4 Richard Ratcliffe goes public as the UK government explore back channels for a deal. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.
05	20220218	One more throw of the dice from the UK, and a new obstacle from America. How an old debt with Iran may have ended up costing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe her freedom.