British Couple Jailed in Iran Fear Years of Detention, Urge UK Government to Act

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, a British couple held in Tehran's Evin prison after being arrested in Iran in January 2025, say they now expect to remain imprisoned for years and are calling on the UK government to do more to secure their release. Lindsay Foreman told the BBC in an interview published May 1, 2026, that she was 'dealing with the realisation that we're likely to be here for a long time.' The couple, who deny allegations of espionage levelled by Iranian authorities, were sentenced in February 2026 to 10 years in prison.

The Details

Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran on a round-the-world motorcycle journey, according to BBC News and Reuters. Iranian authorities accused the couple of espionage. Both have denied the allegations throughout their detention.

An Iranian court sentenced them to 10 years in prison in February 2026, according to their family. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the sentence at the time, calling it 'completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,' Reuters reported.

In a phone interview with the BBC published on May 1, 2026, Lindsay Foreman described the psychological toll of more than 16 months in custody. 'I'm dealing with the realisation that we're likely to be here for a long time,' she said.

Craig Foreman used the same interview to appeal directly to the British government. 'We are innocent people. We have committed no offence. Just take action. Speak out. Get us out,' he said, according to the BBC.

The couple are being held separately within Evin prison, BBC News and the Guardian reported. Their family has described conditions as harsh. The Guardian previously reported that nearby blasts and regional warfare heightened fears for their safety during earlier periods of their detention.

The UK Foreign Office has maintained that it is working to secure the couple's release. Foreign Secretary Cooper stated: 'We will pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their family,' according to Reuters.

Context

The Foremans entered Iran despite longstanding UK Foreign Office advice warning British nationals not to travel there because of the risk of arrest or detention, according to BBC News and Sky News.

Evin prison in Tehran has previously held other high-profile foreign and dual-national detainees, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, whose prolonged detention became a major point of diplomatic friction between the UK and Iran, the BBC has reported.

The precise legal framing of the couple's case has varied across reporting. BBC News, Reuters, the Guardian, and family statements have described the situation variously as detention on espionage charges, suspicion of espionage, and arbitrary detention. The couple and their family reject the espionage characterisation, and UK officials have described the sentence as unjustifiable. Iranian authorities have not publicly produced evidence supporting the allegations in the reporting reviewed.

What's Next

The UK Foreign Office says it is continuing to work for the couple's release, though it has not set out specific next steps publicly, according to BBC News and Reuters. Foreign Secretary Cooper has committed to pursuing the case 'relentlessly' with the Iranian government.

The couple's son previously called on Prime Minister Starmer to press directly for their release, the Guardian reported in April 2026. No further official timeline or scheduled diplomatic intervention has been confirmed in the sourced reporting.