Iran charged British nationals Craig and Lindsay Foreman of spying, alleging that they had collaborated with Western intelligence agencies, the country’s judicial power announced on Tuesday.
According to the spokesperson for the magistracy Asghar Jahangir, the couple entered Iran under the cover of tourists and collected information before their arrest in Kerman province last month.
The Iranian judicial of Mizan online quoted the chief judge of Kerman, Ebrahim Hamidi, saying:
“Their links with the foreign intelligence services have been confirmed. Additional surveys are still underway.”
Jahangir also said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard of Iran (IRGC) was responsible for the detention of foreman for charges of espionage.
Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it provided consular support to two British nationals held in Iran and was in contact with the Iranian authorities concerning their case.
The BBC reported that the Foremans, both in the early 1950s, were on a motorcycle around the world when they were arrested. Their publications on social networks indicate that they entered Iran from Armenia in December, with plans to go to Australia.
Last week, British ambassador Hugo Shorter met the couple at the Kerman prosecutor’s office, according to Iran’s official news agency, who published a photo of the meeting with their blurred faces.
The British government has long warned of all trips to Iran, citing the risk of arbitrary detention.
Iran has owned several European nationals in recent years, often in cases of high -level spying that have led to prisoners with Western nations.
In January 2023, Iran executed the Double British Citizen-Iranian Alireza Akbari, found guilty of spying on the United Kingdom, a decision that attracted international conviction.
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested in December 2023, but was released in January 2024, just a few days before the release of an Iranian national, Mohammad Abedini, accused by the United States of raping the sanctions and providing technology from drones to the Iranian army.
French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been imprisoned since May 2022, also in charge of spying.
In June 2023, Iran released two Swedish nationals, including a European Union diplomat, in exchange for a former Iranian official held in Sweden – an exchange mediated by Oman.
Oman played a key role in the brokerage of prisoners between Iran and the Western nations, in particular the guarantee of the Liberation in 2023 of the Belgian aid Empressor Olivier Vandecastee, who had been found guilty of espionage and spent more than a year in detention.
Western concerns
Iran has repeatedly denied using foreign nationals as a lever effect, but has also engaged in multiple diplomatic negotiations for prisoner exchanges. The Western nations, including the United Kingdom, the United States and the EU, have condemned Iran’s detention practices, calling them a form of hostage diplomacy.
As Craig and Lindsay Foreman are facing serious charges of espionage, their case adds to increasing tensions between Iran and Western countries for detentions, sanctions and security problems.
The British government continues to request consular access and remains in contact with the Iranian authorities as the situation develops.
