LONDON: The husband of a British woman imprisoned in Iran said Sunday that his wife discovered lumps in her breasts and he urged the British government to step up efforts to free her.
Richard Ratcliffe said his wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, had seen a doctor but was on 鈥渢he verge of a nervous breakdown.鈥�
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a 38-year-old dual British-Iranian citizen, is serving a five-year sentence for plotting the 鈥渟oft toppling鈥� of Iran鈥檚 government.
Her husband spoke by phone Sunday to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has been under fire for making misleading statements about the case.
Earlier this month, Johnson told lawmakers that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was 鈥渢eaching people journalism鈥� when she was detained last year. Her family and her employer, the Thomson Reuters Foundation, insist she was on vacation taking her toddler daughter to meet relatives in Iran.
Johnson later apologized for his comment, but Iran鈥檚 state broadcaster said it was an implicit admission of guilt.
Ratcliffe said his wife had been brought to tears by 鈥渓ies鈥� about her case on Iranian television.
On Sunday, British Environment Secretary Michael Gove said 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know鈥� when asked what Zaghari-Ratcliffe was doing in Iran.
Family and friends say the confusion has put Zaghari-Ratcliffe at risk of a longer prison sentence.
Johnson鈥檚 blunder has triggered calls for his resignation.
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said Prime Minister Theresa May should fire Johnson for 鈥渆mbarrassing and undermining our country with his incompetence and colonial throwback views and putting our citizens at risk.鈥�
Richard Ratcliffe said he did not think his wife鈥檚 case would be helped by resignations. He has urged Johnson to travel with him to Tehran to press for her release and said Sunday the foreign secretary was seriously considering the suggestion.