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The Guardian
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Family of British couple held in Iran urge UK to raise case in talks with Tehran
The son of a British woman who has been held in Iran since January on espionage charges along with her husband has called on the UK government to raise their case during talks with Iran reportedly taking place in Istanbul later this week. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested on 3 January in Kervan, southern Iran, while travelling through the country from Armenia to Pakistan on a motorcycle journey to Australia. The family, who have not had direct contact with the couple since their incarceration, have said promises from the Foreign Office in the past fortnight to arrange conversations with the couple had not materialised. Six weeks ago, the Foreign Office said it did not know the couple's whereabouts, despite initially having said they were being transferred to Evin prison in Tehran. Lindsay's eldest son, Joe Bennett, said the family were past breaking point. 'The silence is intolerable, inhumane and a stain on the duty of care that the British government owes its citizens.' 'While other countries are ensuring their citizens' cases are raised at the highest levels in negotiations with Iran, we are left shouting into the void, writing letters, running social media campaigns, tagging David Lammy and Keir Starmer and hearing nothing. We are losing faith,' said Bennett, 31. After Israel's bombing of Tehran's Evin prison on 23 June that left more than 70 dead, the family said they 'endured unimaginable fear', uncertain of the couple's wellbeing. Yesterday, the family said they learned the couple was moved from Kervan to a location in Tehran, but said the British government had not confirmed their safety or wellbeing. The Foreign Office has been approached for comment. Renewed calls for their release come after nearly two weeks of war between Israel and Iran in June, during which the US bombed a number of Iran's nuclear sites and brought nuclear talks to an abrupt end. As Iran maintains a fragile ceasefire with the US and Israel, the family has called on the UK government to table the couple's case after learning negotiations between the UK and Iran were set to take place in Istanbul later this week. The UK, France and Germany – the E3, which signed the original nuclear deal with Iran in 2015 – reportedly met Iranian officials for nuclear talks in Istanbul last week, after threatening to reimpose 'snapback' UN sanctions without the risk of a security council veto, so long as they act by its expiry in October. The 2015 deal does not allow other signatories, China or Russia, to veto the sanctions snapback, and since leaving the deal in 2018, the US cannot veto the UK or EU move. The family has also called for immediate public commitment from the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and Keir Starmer, as well as to prioritise urgent and regular phone calls, consular visits and medical and legal support. It is understood the British couple have been visited by consular officials three times, the most recent in May, and have had no medical or consular visits for more than 75 days. 'We cannot and will not remain silent while our loved ones are left to disappear into the shadows of bureaucracy and apathy,' said Bennett. 'This is no longer just a diplomatic issue. It is a humanitarian emergency. The government must act now, before it's too late.' On 23 July, the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs wrote to the UK foreign secretary, urging the government to prioritise their case and take further steps to secure their release. 'They are innocent British nationals falsely accused of espionage and held hostage by Iran for political leverage,' said the letter to David Lammy, signed by the parliamentary chair and MP Alicia Kearns, and others. 'Mistakes made in past cases, including the cases of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, must be learnt from,' it added. 'Past cases demonstrate the significant strain placed upon families in working to secure the release of their loved ones.'
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Couple being held in Iran haven't been heard from in six months
Couple being held in Iran haven't been heard from in six months Lindsey and Craig were trying to motorbike from Spain to Australia when they were arrested Joe Bennett, right, on The Leas in Folkestone with his mum Lindsay Foreman and her partner Craig Foreman (Cover Images) The son of a woman detained in Iran for the past six months is yet to hear from her and says his family has been 'torn apart'. Joe Bennett, from Folkestone, is calling on the UK government to do more to help bring his mum, Lindsay Foreman, and her husband, Craig, home. The couple, both 52, had been on an 'adventure of a lifetime', attempting to motorbike from Spain to Australia - but the trip turned into a nightmare when they were arrested by the Iranian authorities. Joe - Lindsay's eldest son - last spoke to the pair on January 3 prior to their arrest, before learning they were being charged with spying in February. The family have watched anxiously as Israel has launched bombing raids on Iran, including strikes on a prison they were told the couple had been moved to. Joe, 31, said: 'That was probably the height of the fear. I can't imagine what they're feeling right now. 'They must have some notion as to what's going on. I don't know how much they know or what they know. But they must understand that the countries were at war. It's a tough one to think about. I try not to think about it too much, because I don't think that helps. But obviously, it adds that urgency. Joe Bennett speaking in Westminster (Cover Images) 'We just want to make sure that we're doing everything we can as a nation and as a government - united in one cause - and that is to bring them home.' Article continues below Joe said some people may question why the couple attempted to travel through Iran, despite the UK government's official advice to stay out of the country. He said: 'We understand that people are going to be thinking the same thing - like, why would you go to a country you're advised not to? But it also begs the bigger question: why not? 'Why can't people go to certain parts of the world? Why is that not allowed? And they did everything they should have done to go there. They had the visa. They were allowed into the country. They had a guide. 'They stayed on main roads. They followed every bit of advice they could. And while they were there, they did nothing but commend the country. They couldn't believe how beautiful it was - how nice the people were. It's a shame this happened, because it tarnishes what was a very beautiful story for my mum and Craig. They loved the place. They loved the people.' Joe also held a virtual press conference on Instagram yesterday, calling for the couple, from East Sussex, to be released and urging the UK government to do more. I want to make it completely clear that they are not spies, they are not political players or criminals, they are simply a mum and a dad, a son and a daughter, who we miss very, very much,' he said in the video. Joe Bennett, left, with his younger brother Toby and their mum Lindsay Foreman (Cover Images) 'For the past month, we didn't know where they were. We were told on June 8 they were supposed to be moved to Evin Prison in Tehran, and we were left in the dark for four long weeks.' Evin Prison is an infamous detention facility in the Islamic Republic, known for systematic human rights abuses and being a symbol of the state's absolutist rule. The site was bombed by Israel on June 23 – while the UK has pulled its embassy staff out of the city. In an emotional plea, Joe said: 'For over six months, we've followed the advice of the Foreign Office. We've been scared to say their names. That's not right. Their names need to be known, and we need to bring Lindsay and Craig's names into the light. We hoped quiet diplomacy would work, but there's been no urgency, no clear answers, no signs of progress, so we are done waiting quietly. That silence ends today. 'This isn't just about politics, it's about my mum who never missed a birthday call, who's now missed several. It's about Craig, who'd give you the shirt off his back, now being used as leverage by a foreign state. It's about a British family torn apart.' Article continues below The Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran, saying British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at 'significant risk' of arrest, questioning or detention. UK government support is also 'extremely limited in Iran'. 'We are heartbroken, drained, and we're trying to hold on,' Joe added. The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
‘They aren't criminals, they are mum and dad': Son of UK couple emotional over parents arrest in Iran; no direct talks in over 6 months
. The son of a British couple detained in Iran on espionage charges had broke down when he learnt about his parents' arrest, insisting they are innocent tourists. "I want to be crystal clear, my parents aren't spies, they're not political players, they aren't criminals. They're Mum and Dad," Joe Bennett, the son of the couple said while speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday. Bennett said he last spoke to his parents on January 3, just before they were arrested. The family was informed of their detention in late January and learned in February that they had been charged with spying. "I didn't know what to do or where to turn," Bennett recalled. Since their arrest, the family has received only a single 'generic letter' from his mother. Their wellbeing updates have come solely through three welfare checks conducted by UK embassy officials, the most recent in May. "That's tough when you're used to hearing someone's voice every day," he said. "You always go back to how they must be feeling, that's the one thing that gets the family the most." He also spoke about the June conflict between Iran and Israel, calling the period 'terrifying,' as the family had no idea if the couple were 'okay or safe.' The couple, both 52, were due to be transferred to Evin prison on June 8. The facility was later bombed by Israel on June 23. The escalation prompted the UK government to evacuate its embassy staff from the city. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were on what their family described as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' motorbike trip across the world. They entered Iran from Armenia on December 30 last year, staying in hotels in Tabriz, Tehran, and Isfahan, but never reached their next destination, Kerman. They were arrested in January. Bennett said the family had raised concerns about their plans to travel to Iran, but emphasised that his parents had followed official procedures. 'They had the right visas, were accompanied by licensed tour guides, and stayed in accommodations along main roads,' he said. "They followed every guideline in the book they could… that clearly wasn't enough." In February, a spokesman for Iran's judiciary claimed the couple had entered the country 'under the guise of tourists' and 'gathered information' in various regions. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) currently advises against all travel to Iran, warning that British nationals and those with dual British-Iranian citizenship are at 'significant risk' of arrest, questioning, or detention. "We know where we stand and what we want, it's over to you to make this happen," Bennett said, urging the foreign office to act. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. We're providing them with consular assistance and we remain in close contact with the family.'
BBC News
09-07-2025
- BBC News
Son of couple held in Iran: 'They aren't spies, they're Mum and Dad'
The son of a British couple detained in Iran has said he broke down in tears when he learned of their arrest and has not heard from them in six and Lindsay Foreman were on a "once-in-a-lifetime" motorbike trip around the world when they were arrested in January and later charged with espionage, which the family son Joe Bennett said the Foreign Office must act more urgently to bring them home, adding that he was not "clear" on their strategy to do Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said they were continuing to assist the family and raise the case directly with Iranian authorities. Mr and Mrs Foreman, both 52 from East Sussex, were motorbiking from Spain to Australia when they crossed into Iran on 31 Bennett said he last spoke with his parents on 3 January prior to their arrest, before learning they were being held in late January and charged with spying in February."I didn't know what to do or where to turn," he Bennett said one "generic letter" written by his mother had been shared with friends and family since then, and that updates on their wellbeing had come from three welfare checks by UK embassy officials - the last being in May."That's tough when you're used to hearing someone's voice every day," Mr Bennett said. "She's sleeping on a wafer-thin mattress," he said of his mother, "that causes a lot of upset"."You always go back to how they must be feeling, that's the one thing that gets the family the most."Mr Bennett said his parents were very active people who loved doing Park Run, and were trying to "keep as fit as possible" in their cell."In true fashion they're now running figure of eights in their cell," he said, "which just shows their mental fortitude".He added that the conflict between Iran and Israel which erupted in June was a "terrifying" period, "not knowing if they were okay or safe".The couple were due to be transferred to Tehran's notorious Evin Prison on 8 June, he continued, which was bombed by Israel on 23 June - while the war also saw the UK pull its embassy staff out of the Bennett recalls thinking: "They are now left alone, we haven't got people who can push for their safety and wellbeing." The FCDO currently advises against all travel to Iran, saying that British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at "significant risk" of arrest, questioning or also now states that UK government support is "extremely limited in Iran"."No face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency and the UK government will not be able to help you if you get into difficulty in Iran," the guidance Bennett said the family did have reservations about their decision to travel to the country and asked, "why would you go there?"But he stressed that the couple did so "by the proper means" - with the right visas, accompanied by licensed tour guides, and staying in hotels and along main roads."They followed every guideline in the book they could… that clearly wasn't enough."Mr Bennett said he believed they were arrested because "they have UK passports and are being used as leverage by the Iranian regime"."I want to be crystal clear, my parents aren't spies, they're not political players, they aren't criminals. They're Mum and Dad."A spokesman for Iran's judiciary said in February that the couple had entered Iran "under the guise of tourists" and "gathered information" in several parts of the said the couple had been under surveillance by intelligence agencies and were arrested as part of a "coordinated intelligence operation".In recent years, Iran has arrested dozens of Iranians with dual nationality or foreign permanent residency, mostly on spying and national security charges. At least 15 have had links to the rights groups say they are often held as leverage, released only when Iran receives something in Bennett said the foreign office had been "supportive in terms of words and comfort, but we're past that now," describing the relationship as "functional".He added that their "quiet diplomacy" approach had been "going on for too long" and that the family was not "clear what the strategy is"."We know where we stand and what we want, it's over to you to make this happen."An FCDO spokesperson said: "We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities, we're providing them with consular assistance and we remain in close contact with the family."
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
British couple detained in Iran vanished for weeks amid fears they were in Israel-bombed prison
The family of a British couple detained in Iran feared they were in one of the country's most notorious prisons when it was bombed by Israel – and are still yet to hear from them weeks later despite assurances from Tehran that they are alive. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, 53 and 52, were arrested and charged with espionage in Iran earlier this year after setting off on a 'dream' round-the-world motorcycle trip in August. The pair were forced to sleep on the floor of a 3x3 metre cell in Kerman, southeastern Iran, for at least five months on a diet of rice and fruit. Their family was told they were set to move to Tehran 's sprawling Evin prison complex, which held thousands of inmates, on 8 June, but it emerged four days later the transfer was delayed due to a paperwork issue. On 13 June, Israel launched a devastating 12-day airstrike campaign against Iran, including an attack on 23 June that destroyed the prison and killed 79 people. The couple were unreachable throughout this period as their family was put through a 'month of torment'. They say the UK Foreign Office did not know where they were. It was only on 8 July that Iranian officials said they were in Kerman. The British Foreign Office has still not reached them. Mrs Foreman's son Joe Bennett, 31, told The Independent: 'The place they had been potentially transferred was being bombed and we didn't know until today [8 July] they were okay. 'They are just a normal mum and dad being held as political prisoners and they need to come home.' On their way to Australia, Mrs Foreman, a life coach with a doctorate in psychology, was carrying out a research project asking people what constituted a 'good life'. On 30 December, Mrs Foreman posted a map of Iran, saying they were about to face 'one of the most challenging — and, let's be honest, slightly scary — sections of our journey: Iran and Pakistan '. The next day, she crossed into Iran from Armenia with her husband Craig, a carpenter, and planned to reach Pakistan by 4 January, despite 'the advice of friends, family and the Foreign Office'. They travelled through the cities of Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan with a tour guide and visa but never checked into their hotel in Kerman. Mrs Foreman's last social media post on 3 January was a picture of her meeting a 'kind and thoughtful mullah' in Isfahan, central Iran. On 13 February, Iranian state media published a photo of them alongside British ambassador Hugo Shorter announcing they had been charged with espionage. Since then, the couple have been visited three times by British consular officials, most recently on 12 May. At around this time, Mrs Foreman was not walking properly and had a bad back, her son said. He added: 'I cannot imagine what they are going through. The anxiety and hopelessness, being left in the dark. It is hard to think about. 'It cannot go on for years. We need action. They are not spies. It was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime but it has turned into a nightmare.' Iran has previously held British citizens for years on vague security charges. In 2022, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released after spending six and five years in Iranian prisons. They were both held in Evin prison, one of the country's most visible symbols of authoritarian rule for over 40 years. Dissidents, foreign journalists, academics and diplomats have all been held there. Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was held there for nearly a year and a half and claimed guards repeatedly threatened him with execution. A FCDO spokesperson told The Independent: 'We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.'
