The son of a British couple held in Tehran on espionage charges has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to use the current ceasefire as an opportunity to secure their release. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested in January last year during a five-day trip across Iran and have been detained in Evin prison for 15 months.
Joe Bennett, the couple's son, said the ceasefire presents a 'very opportune moment' for the government to act. He pointed to the recent release of two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who were held in Iran on similar charges, as an example of effective diplomatic pressure. 'Macron was incredibly vocal, he was championing above all else, and I think that's where we can take some courage,' Bennett said.
Despite cross-party parliamentary support and meetings with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Bennett said there has been no visible progress in 15 months. He spoke with his mother on Thursday morning and described the past 48 hours as 'tumultuous' following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire. The potential for peace talks has given the couple hope that the UK government will fight for their release.
On Thursday, MPs Alicia Kearns and Brendan O'Hara wrote to Starmer urging him not to forget British nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran and Gulf countries, including Ryan Cornelius in the UAE, Ahmed al-Doush in Saudi Arabia, and Mehran Raoof in Evin prison. Their letter called on the prime minister to publicly declare that the Foremans are not spies.
Bennett criticised the Foreign Office's response, saying he has been repeatedly told the situation is being assessed but lacks accountability or a clear plan. He added that he had to push for virtual consular assistance three weeks ago. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'The UK government continues work to safely return Craig and Lindsay to the UK.'
