The son of a British couple held in Tehran on espionage charges has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to prioritise their case, describing the current ceasefire as a 'very opportune moment' for diplomatic intervention. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested during a five-day trip to Iran in January last year and have been detained in Evin prison for 15 months.
Joe Bennett, the couple's son, urged the government to follow the example of French President Emmanuel Macron, who secured the release of two French citizens from Evin prison this week. 'Macron was incredibly vocal, he was championing above all else, and I think that's where we can take some courage,' Bennett said. The 31-year-old stressed that any peace agenda must include the release of innocent detainees.
Despite significant cross-party parliamentary support and several meetings with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Bennett said there has been no visible progress in securing his parents' release. He called on the government to publicly declare that the Foremans are not spies, echoing a letter from MPs Alicia Kearns and Brendan O'Hara to the prime minister.
Bennett spoke with his mother in Evin prison on Thursday, noting that the recent ceasefire agreement had given the couple some hope. However, he expressed frustration with the Foreign Office, saying he has been repeatedly told the situation is being assessed but lacks a clear plan. 'There's a genuine opportunity here, we can hopefully make progress,' he said.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'The UK government continues work to safely return Craig and Lindsay to the UK.'
