The Iranian judiciary has formally charged detained British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman with espionage, according to the country’s state media. The pair, both aged 52, are accused of “cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile and Western countries.”
The couple was arrested in January while on a “once-in-a-lifetime” round-the-world motorbike trip, during which they reportedly entered Iran intending to stay for five days. Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir alleged that they had “entered Iran under the guise of tourists” and proceeded to “gathered information in multiple provinces of the country.”
Family Denies Spying Allegations
The family of the Foremans has vehemently denied the charges. Their son, Joe Bennett, spoke out against the allegations, insisting on his parents’ innocence.
Bennett stated, “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.”
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has confirmed it is providing assistance to the family and is raising the case directly with Iranian authorities. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Iran, specifically warning that British and dual nationals face a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention,” with a British passport alone being a potential reason for detention.
The detention of foreign and dual nationals on security-related charges, often cited by Western nations as ‘hostage-taking,’ remains a persistent point of tension between Tehran and Western capitals.
