Iran has charged British nationals Craig and Lindsay Foreman with espionage, alleging they gathered intelligence under the guise of tourism.
The couple, both 52, were arrested in January while traveling through Iran on a motorbike trip. They had entered the country from Armenia on December 30, intending to stay for five days before continuing to Pakistan. Before their arrest, they had shared enthusiastic social media posts about their experience, describing Iran as a “lovely country” with “lovely people.”
Iranian authorities claim the Foremans were under surveillance and were cooperating with organizations linked to Western intelligence services. Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir stated that their connection to foreign intelligence agencies has been “confirmed,” with further investigations ongoing.
The UK Foreign Office strongly advises against all travel to Iran, warning that British nationals are at significant risk of detention. Iran has a history of detaining dual nationals and foreigners, often accused of espionage and later used as leverage in diplomatic negotiations.
The arrests have drawn comparisons to previous high-profile cases, including that of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained in Iran for six years. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, has urged the UK government to take swift action, emphasizing the risks of “hostage diplomacy” in the country.
