Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been temporarily released from prison in Iran, her family has said.

The 39-year-old was released from jail in Tehran on a three-day furlough and pictures showed her hugging her daughter Gabriella, four. The family’s lawyers plan to push for an extension of the release period.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was jailed for five years in 2016 for spying, which she denies.

Her British husband Richard Ratcliffe said his wife, a British-Iranian citizen, was with family in Damavand. He told The Independent: “We are pleasantly surprised and relieved. We had become quite jaded after so many promises in the past. We last heard serious talk of her release around Gabriella’s birthday on 11 June.”

Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said the charity worker’s release was “really good news” but that her imprisonment was a “gross injustice”.

In an interview with The Independent, Mr Ratcliffe said: “[Nazanin] was just really happy, happier than I have ever heard her. We had had so much false hope. She had been really dark during the last couple of weeks, extremely down – her capacity to despair after everything is very strong.

“And even when she first heard about the furlough she didn’t believe them, and I didn’t believe them. One day she was finally woken up, told to pack her stuff, and ushered out the door. It was a complete surprise.

“We are not sure what to do next or what exactly this means. Her lawyer is going to go down on Saturday to try to extend the three days. Broadly, her family want to keep her for as long as possible.

“I’ve promised I will carry on campaigning. I had been chasing a visa to Iran so I can visit a couple of weeks back but so far no news on that, and in the meantime we are celebrating.

“We don’t know exactly what this all means – they haven’t fully explained to us how it will impact her case but it is a good sign.”

Describing the reunion with Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family in Damavand, he added: “She looks well – she had complained about her shoulder a couple of weeks back but today she looks well and happy.

“Gabriella was so happy, and overwhelmed. She has been running around trying to show her mum things, she also prepared a little bunch of flowers and wanted to show her her dolls house.”

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures 2018 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe hugs her daughter Gabriella, in Iran after she was allowed to leave the Iranian prison, she is being held in, for three days. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested during a holiday with her toddler daughter in April 2016. Iranian authorities accuse her of plotting against the government. Her family denies this, saying says she was in Iran to visit family. Free Nazanin Campaign/AP Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella. Nazanin is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow Iran's government. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures June 2016 Richard Ratcliffe's daughter Gabriella had her British passport confiscated and was stranded in Iran with her grandparents after her mother Nazanin was jailed. He left left a giant birthday card on the doorstep of the Iranian embassy in central London to mark her second birthday in June 2016. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin has spent some of her prison sentence in solitary confinement. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella. Family Handout Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures July 2016 Richard Ratcliffe delivering a letter of petition with his mother Barbara Ratcliffe and MP Tulip Siddiq, to 10, Downing Street on the 100th day of her detention, on July 12, 2016. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Supporters of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe held a vigil outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark her 707 days in captivity. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures January 2017 Richard Ratcliffe holds a '#Free Nazanin' sign and candle during a vigil for for wife on January 16, 2017. The vigil, being held outside the Iranian Embassy in London marks one year since the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and other US-Iranian dual-nationals were released from prison in Iran. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin with her daughter Gabriella before they were detained by Iranian authorities. Change.org Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures September 2017 Gabriella, who is three-years-old in this picture, has now spent two years away from her mother. Richard Ratcliffe Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures November 2017 Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meets with Richard Ratcliffe over Nazanin's case. They meet just days after Johnson told a parliamentary committee that she was in Iran "training journalists". WPA Pool/Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures November 2017 Actor Emma Thompson braved pneumonia to support Richard Ratcliffe in leading demonstrators before a march in support of Nazanin in November. Reuters Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures November 2017 Richard Ratcliffe after the march said: 'It is profoundly moving to see so many people here.' REUTERS Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures November 2017 A picture of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe shown on Iranian state TV as part of a report that made fresh allegations against her. They said she had been recruiting for banned broadcast services, as well as 'opposition cyber teams'. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures December 2017 Iranian president Hassan Rouhani greets British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson at the presidential office in Tehran, Iran. Johnson visited Tehran to discuss the fate of detained Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. EPA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures December 2017 Photos of Richard Ratcliffe and his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on display at their home in north London. Mr Ratcliffe said he believed there was "still a chance" she may be released from an Iranian prison in time for a dream Christmas together. Unfortunately that didn't happen. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures February 2018 Richard Ratcliffe delivers a petition and a letter addressed to the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to demand her release, at the Iranian Embassy in London on February 21, 2018. He also left support letters for his spouse in the country's embassy, amid a visit by a deputy foreign minister. AFP/Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures August 2018 Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt meeting Richard Ratcliffe. Hunt has pledged to do everything possible to secure the release of a charity worker jailed in Iran Jeremy Hunt/PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – in pictures August 2018 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe hugs her daughter Gabriella, in Iran after she was allowed to leave the Iranian prison, she is being held in, for three days. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested during a holiday with her toddler daughter in April 2016. Iranian authorities accuse her of plotting against the government. Her family denies this, saying says she was in Iran to visit family. PA

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in April 2016 as she prepared to return to London from a holiday with her daughter to visit relatives.

Last year Boris Johnson, then foreign secretary, was embroiled in a diplomatic row and forced to apologise after incorrectly telling MPs she had been training journalists in the country.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, is facing a further hearing over an unspecified security charge which her family believes will include an accusation of spreading propaganda against the Iranian regime.

Following her temporary release Mr Ratclifffe also thanked Mr Hunt.

He said: “Our thanks to all those involved in making this possible in Tehran and London, and to the new foreign secretary for all his recent efforts and considerations.”

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: “We remain very concerned about all our dual nationals detained in Iran, and continue to make decisions in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases.

“We do not think it is in the best interests of any of our dual national detainees to provide a running commentary on individual cases.”

Nonetheless, Mr Hunt tweeted on Thursday afternoon: “Really good news that Nazanin has been released on furlough, credit to tireless campaigning by husband Richard and her friends. But being in prison AT ALL is gross injustice and she must be PERMANENTLY released for which every effort will continue @FreeNazanin”.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella, after the charity worker was given temporary release from prison in Iran for three days (PA)

On Tuesday, Mr Hunt said he was considering whether to grant diplomatic protection as a means of freeing Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he had been reviewing the case in an “enormous amount of detail” and was considering a request by her husband to grant her diplomatic protection.

Mr Hunt said he had not “come to a final decision” on the issue and that there were “pros and cons”.

Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, welcomed her constituent’s release.

She said: “This is a an incredible moment. Huge relief for my constituent. After two and a half years imprisonment, I can’t begin to imagine how precious these three days with Gabriella will be for Nazanin.

“Until Nazanin returns to her life in West Hampstead the campaign goes on. As their MP, I will continue to support Richard and the family for as long as Nazanin remains imprisoned.”