THE UK government will “press firmly” for the release of unfairly detained British nationals in Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

A meeting with the country’s deputy foreign minister has been scheduled for this week.

The meeting, due to be held today, will come as Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband Richard enters the 19th day of his hunger strike outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Mr Ratcliffe began his demonstration last month after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran.

This is his second hunger strike in two years.

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Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national, has been in custody in Iran since 2016.

She was originally detained after being accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

She was taking her daughter Gabriella to see her family when she was arrested and sentenced to five years in jail, spending four years in Evin Prison and one under house arrest.

She was told by Iranian authorities that she was being detained because of the UK’s failure to pay an outstanding £400 million debt to Iran.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office told the Press Association: “We will urge Iran to take the opportunity to swiftly conclude the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) deal on the table.

“We will also be using this opportunity to again press firmly for the immediate release of our unfairly detained British nationals.”

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly will meet Mr Ratcliffe this afternoon, following the meeting.