NAZANIN Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended by a month..

The British-Iranian mother – whose sister-in-law Rebecca Ratcliffe is a GP in Cwmbran – has been freed from Evin prison in Tehran in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

An update on the Free Nazanin campaign Facebook page read: “Nazanin’s lawyer was today told by the Prosecutors Office that her furlough has been extended for another month until May 20.

“This is in line with President Rouhani’s announcement.

“He was told that no decision has yet been made on her clemency. There is no change to her ankle tag or its range.

“Nonetheless, Nazanin is very relieved today.”

Tulip Siddiq, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s MP, tweeted on Tuesday: “Very happy to hear from Richard Ratcliffe that Nazanin’s furlough has been extended for a month - in line with other prisoners in Iran.”

The Labour MP said: “Now is the time for our government to do all it can to make it permanent.”

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been due to return to prison over the weekend, but her family were then told to return to the Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday.

She was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016.

She was sentenced to five years in prison, accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, which she denies.

Human rights charity Amnesty International said they were “very pleased” for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

They said: “There should be no question of Nazanin ever being sent back to Evin Prison. There are numerous reports of Covid-19 in Iranian jails, with detainees pleading for basic things like soap to help combat the disease.

“We’re urging the Iranian authorities to finally do the right thing and free Nazanin permanently.”