Iranian hostages Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori could have been released much sooner – Hayley Matthews

The video footage of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori landing in the UK and being reunited with their loved ones was a wonderful sight.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori arrive in the UK after years of captivity in Iran (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

After years in Iran, we can only imagine how desperately relieved they were to get home. But did the UK Government do enough, soon enough? I don’t think so.

Years have passed for these British-Iranian nationals, years that no amount of compensation, apologies or government excuses will be able to make up for.

As they were met by their loved ones, I watched the footage wondering if they felt angry at the UK Government for letting them both down massively.

Their lives will never be the same again. They’ve missed so many family milestones and its heart-breaking to think that it’s been years since they were last home through no fault of their own.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's seven-year-old daughter Gabriella was heard asking “is that mummy?” before her mother walked down the plane's stairs, and how would she know?

She hadn’t seen her since she was a one-year-old. I know that it’s “the done thing”, however, having Foreign Secretary Liz Truss greet Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe feels a bit vulgar on the government’s part for me.

After all, their slow actions are what has kept this situation going on for so long. Well, that and the fact the government wanted to fork out as little money as possible. I probably sound very cynical. However, I believe they could have gotten these British-Iranian nationals back home to their families a lot quicker had the puppets that run this country pulled their fingers out their bum and their wallets out their pockets!