What the papers say – March 17

Ukraine moves off some of the front pages due to a Briton’s long-awaited return to the UK from Iran.

17 March 2022

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s freedom following six years of “hell” in a Tehran prison dominates many of the papers, while there are also updates from the war in eastern Europe.

The Daily Telegraph says Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s seven-year-old daughter has been told “Mummy really is coming home”, in a front page echoed by the Daily Mail which refers to the imprisonment as “hell”.

The Daily Express carries a photograph of the smiling Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe aboard the aircraft which brought her back to the UK, as do The Guardian and the Daily Mirror while Metro celebrates being able to publish “some good news”.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and fellow freed detainee Anoosheh Ashoori are now able to resume their lives, reports The Independent.

Russian forces have bombed a threatre being used to shelter up to 1,200 children in the Ukraine city of Mariupol, according to the i.

The Financial Times reports Moscow and Kyiv have explored a “neutrality plan” as part of peace talks.

And the Daily Star says £1.6 million has been raised to put Russian President Vladimir Putin on a rocket to space.