Iran has charged British citizens Craig and Lindsay Foreman with espionage, the country’s judiciary spokesman announced on February 18.
Asghar Jahangir said the couple had entered Iran “under the guise of tourists” and “collected intelligence in several provinces in the country.”
He said they were detained by the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the southern Kerman Province.
The U.K. Foreign Office confirmed their arrest on February 13.
According to Lindsay Foreman’s social media, the couple were on a motorbiking trip across the world, with the final destination being Australia.
British media say they entered Iran on December 30 via Armenia and intended to leave the country via the Pakistani border after five days. They had stayed in Tabriz, Tehran, Isfahan, but never checked into their hotel in Kerman.
Ebrahim Hamidi, the top judge in Kerman Province, alleged that “it has become clear” that the couple “have ties with several institutes linked to intelligence services.”
The U.K. Foreign Office has not commented on the charge. Britain currently advises its citizens against all travel to Iran, citing “significant risk” of arrest, questioning, or detention.
Iran is accused by human rights groups of engaging in “hostage diplomacy,” taking foreign and dual nationals for leverage in dealings with the West.
