A cup of tea and hand-picked toys await Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe on her return home

Richard Ratcliffe, with his daughter Gabriella, outside the Houses of Parliament in London

The mother-of-one was due to arrive back home late yesterday, when her release, and that of another dual national Anoosheh Ashoori were secured after the UK Government settled an outstanding £400m debt owed to the regime in Tehran.

A third dual national, Morad Tahbaz, has been released from prison on furlough.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the releases were down to “a great deal of UK diplomacy” last night, and shared his delight that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be reunited with her family.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband Richard Ratcliffe spoke yesterday of his excitement “looking forward to a new life” with their seven-year-old daughter Gabriella now they “can stop being a moment in history and start being a normal family again”.

Addressing media outside their family home in North London, he said: “There will probably be a couple of days peace and quiet somewhere else, and then back here.

“The first thing she wanted was for me to make her a cup of tea, so we will do (that).

“I think actually we were looking at the house and it needs a bit of tidying, so there might be a bit of tidying, perhaps directed by mummy when she comes back.”

“We’ve chosen which toys we’re taking,” he later added.

He also took the opportunity to thank the public for their support over the years.

“We wouldn’t have got here, this wouldn’t have happened today, without all the care and support of people up and down the country,” Mr Ratcliffe said,

“That’s ordinary people, people in the media, people in politics, some celebrities.

“But just the overwhelming care we’ve had.

“And I remember saying this on the hunger strike – this has been a cruel experience in some ways.

“But it has also been an exposure to such a level of kindness and care from all walks of life.”

Mr Ratcliffe was described as “really set the bar high for all husbands” by his constituency MP Tulip Siddiq, who has also received praise for her tireless work in helping her constituent return home.

Addressing the Commons yesterday afternoon, while Mr Ratcliffe and Gabriella watched on from the public gallery, Ms Siddiq said: “Can I say to Nazanin, welcome home, after six long years. And can I say to Gabriella, this time mummy really is coming home.”

She had earlier shared a photo of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe grinning after boarding her first flight home.

Yorkshire MPs were among those who lined up yesterday to celebrate the “wonderful news” and heap praise on Hampstead and Kilburn MP Ms Siddiq.

Shadow Chancellor and Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves was among those offering her congratulations.

She tweeted: “Well done Richard, Tulip and all those working so, so hard to get Nazanin home.”

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher said the developments were “excellent news” and added:” I am delighted for them both and their families. It’s been such a severe ordeal.

“It just makes me really appreciative of the freedom we all enjoy in our democratic United Kingdom. Welcome home Nazanin & Anoosheh.”

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained on security charges by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard at Imam Khomeini airport after a holiday visit to Iran where she introduced her daughter Gabriella to her parents in 2016.

Their release follows months of intensive diplomatic negotiations between London and Tehran.

The UK has paid the £393.8m owed to Iran after it cancelled an order of Chieftain tanks following the overthrow of the Shah in the revolution of 1979.

Sanctions on the Tehran regime had been one of the key sticking points in being able to settle the debt.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Mr Ashoori were expected to arrive at RAF Brize Norton overnight on a Government chartered flight.

After a nervous wait for final confirmation of their release from Iran, the pair were initially taken to the Gulf state of Oman, which has been closely involved in the behind-the-scenes negotiations to secure their freedom.

Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, posted a picture of them arriving at the airport, adding: “Soon they will be with their loved ones at home.”