Liz Truss on release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

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There is excitement and celebration in Westminster today after it was confirmed two British-Iranian detainees are on a flight home to the UK. Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, 44, has been serving a prison sentence in the authoritaran country since 2014 when she was accused of plotting to bring down the government – allegations she has always denied.

Despite hearfelt words from every Foreign Secretary since her arrest, it was not until Ms Truss was given the job in September that a plan started to emerge to finally free Nazanin and other detained Britons.

In week one of the job she made contact with the British nationals’ families pledging to work night and day to get their relatives home.

A month later she sent a team of negotiators to Tehran.

Now, six months after her efforts began, it is finally happening.

Speaking on Times Radio this morning, Labour’s Tulip Siddiq, Nazanin’s local MP in Hampstead and Kilburn, gave credit to Ms Truss – describing the outcome as “quite an achievement”.

“I’ve dealt with three prime ministers and five foreign secretaries, it’s finally when I came to a woman who was foreign secretary who actually did something,” she said.

“When we started speaking to Liz Truss from very early on, it did seem like she was making some sort of plan.”

Ms Truss has suceeded where so many foreign secretaries before her – including current Prime Minister Boris Johnson – failed.

Determined to make a difference, she set her sights on securing a result – and it didn’t take her long to deliver.

The South West Norfolk MP is building a reputation for being a do-er in Government.

As International Trade Secretary, she wasted no time in signing rollover trade deals with countries around the world.

She also set up talks to forge fresh deals with countries, such as Australia and New Zealand.

There has been much debate over whether the deals she brokered had terms that were most favourable to the UK. But regardless of political-wrangling over the details, the fact remains: she oversaw the signing of more than 70 trade pacts.

Her success in the job made her a firm favourite among the Tory grassroots, although MPs and the wider public remained sceptical of her ability.

Proving she’s not a one trick pony and that she is capable of deliver results in multiple jobs will surely help win over the doubters.

Ms Truss has hardly hidden her future leadership ambitions.

Today’s victory is a huge boost for when the time comes for Ms Truss to officially throw her hat in the ring.

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