NAZANIN ZAGHARI-RATCLIFFE, the British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran, spent a night in a clinic after experiencing “palpitations and panic attacks,” her husband revealed today.

Richard Ratcliffe said tensions in Tehran, sparked by the US assassination of General Qassem Suleimani, were taking a toll on his wife's mental health.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is midway through a five-year sentence for alleged spying, which she denies.

The British government has been attempting to secure her release after affording her diplomatic protection in March 2019.

The 40-year-old is among as many as five people with dual British-Iranian nationality, or with connections to Britain, believed currently to be in prison in Iran.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Ratcliffe said: “This is a situation where there is a lot of anger in Iran and a lot of vulnerability, and it’s very stressful for the people involved.

“I mean, Nazanin was taken down to the clinic overnight two nights ago, through palpitations and panic attacks.

“So I think it’s important for the government to just do what they can.”

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was put on beta-blockers to calm her, according to Mr Ratcliffe.

He said he was expecting to meet Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials later in the day, and was pressing for a meeting with PM Boris Johnson.

Mr Ratcliffe added: “There’s certainly concerns, I think it’s a very tough time, and you have heard on the news this morning about other events in Iran, it’s just really sad.”

He also urged Mr Johnson to pay a £400 million debt Britain owes Iran, as his wife now fears receiving a second jail sentence amid Iran’s anger with the West.

The sum has been outstanding since pre-revolutionary Iran paid Britain for 1,500 Chieftain tanks in the 1970s, a deal which was later cancelled.