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A BRITISH mum jailed in Iran on allegations of spying has been told she is "eligible for early release" - just days after her husband told he remains hopeful she'll be home by Christmas.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year term for spying, was told by her lawyer that her case was marked on the Iranian judiciary database as "eligible for early release.

 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been told she is eligible for early release  - sparking hopes she could be home by Christmas
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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been told she is eligible for early release  - sparking hopes she could be home by ChristmasCredit: PA:Press Association

The update comes just two days after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was branded a "clown" by Iranian religious leaders for his attempts to free her.

Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda also called BoJo a "little man" and again claimed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has heart trouble, was a spy.

Mr Johnson was in Tehran this month to discuss releasing Nazanin, 39, who was arrested on a family visit in 2016.

 Nazanin, right, pictured with her husband, Iran has so-called evidence which it claimed could add 16 years to her prison sentence
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Nazanin, right, pictured with her husband, Iran has so-called evidence which it claimed could add 16 years to her prison sentenceCredit: PA
 Richard Ratcliffe said his wife was 'more upbeat' in phone calls since the Foreign Secretary’s weekend trip to Tehran
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Richard Ratcliffe said his wife was 'more upbeat' in phone calls since the Foreign Secretary’s weekend trip to TehranCredit: AP

Last week her anguished husband Richard revealed he believes there is “still a chance” she may be released by Iran for Christmas.

Richard, 42, said: “It has been a rollercoaster yesterday but I am upbeat and it seems to me that the Christmas dream is still on.

"There’s still a chance. There’s not much hint of Christmas around the house just yet. It’s all on hold.

"I've seen where we're going to buy the Christmas tree and I've got the box of decorations in the back of the wardrobe."


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