The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has gone on hunger strike for the second time in two years, telling Sky News: “We can’t wait forever”.

Richard Ratcliffe will sleep in a tent outside the Foreign Office in London after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran last week.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national, has been detained in Tehran since 2016, when she was accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Mr Ratcliffe told Sky News he had been considering the hunger strike for a while.

“It’s very clear [Nazanin] is going to be put in prison quite soon,” he said.

“We needed to act.

“I had a conversation with the British foreign secretary, Liz Truss, to ask her what she was going to do and she still said, well we are going to talk to the Iranians and there will be consequences if Nazanin goes back.

Iranian provincial governor slapped in the face during inauguration

Cyclone Shaheen: Death toll rises to 13 after storm hits Oman and Iran

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband ‘not very confident’ of breakthrough in case

“That’s too late.”

He said the UK government’s strategy was “broken”, adding: “It does feel like a policy of waiting and we can’t wait forever.”

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was taking her daughter Gabriella to see her family when she was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. She spent four years in Evin Prison and a further year under house arrest.

Mr Ratcliffe said he feels they are being used as a “bargaining chip” in nuclear deal negotiations, which need an “explicit promise” to end hostage-taking.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family have reportedly been told by Iranian authorities that she is being detained because of the UK’s failure to pay an outstanding £400m debt to Iran.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

“Hunger strike is an extreme act and it’s always a bit precarious at the beginning,” he told Sky News.

Mr Ratcliffe first went on hunger strike “in solidarity” with his wife two years ago – he lasted 15 days and it eventually resulted in his daughter being returned to the UK.

He continued: “I have to say, I thought that would be a unique experience and that when the prime minister came into office he would resolve our case and keep his word.

“Here we are two years on, and we had been wracking our brains as to what else we could do.”

My heart breaks to write this, but once again my constituent Richard Ratcliffe has been forced to go on hunger strike because of the Government's inaction and failure to #FreeNazanin.

It should never have come to this. pic.twitter.com/j1VnJFosKP

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq tweeted on Sunday afternoon: “My heart breaks to write this, but once again my constituent Richard Ratcliffe has been forced to go on hunger strike because of the government’s inaction and failure to #FreeNazanin.

“It should never have come to this.”

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is one of several people with British or dual-British nationality detained in Iran.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), said: “Iran’s decision to proceed with these baseless charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an appalling continuation of the cruel ordeal she is going through.

“Instead of threatening to return Nazanin to prison Iran must release her permanently so she can return home.

“We are doing all we can to help Nazanin get home to her young daughter and family and we will continue to press Iran on this point.”

Related posts:

England fans urged to ‘drown out boos’ when players take the knee at Euro 2020 – but Scotland opt for different gesture New rail pass and vouchers for tourist attractions part of tourism recovery plan Murder accused signed note in his own blood of pact with devil to ‘win lottery’, trial told Fans break through security barriers and run into Wembley ahead of Euro 2020 final How the England and Italy players rated in the Euro 2020 final ‘It starts at the top’: PM’s burka comments highlighted amid condemnation of football racism Hospital admissions could peak at 1,000 to 2,000 a day during COVID third wave, scientists believe Daily lateral flow testing for double-jabbed contacts of COVID cases to start on Tuesday ‘UK’s largest ever’ bird flu outbreak reported in Northern Ireland ‘One of the biggest days’: £700m contracts for offshore Scottish wind farm projects awarded Man who randomly attacked five people in Manchester shopping centre with knife sentenced Man jailed for 1990 rape of teenager out walking her dog – and victim ‘didn’t know if she would live or die’