The son of a British couple imprisoned in Iran has appealed to Donald Trump for help, saying he has been 'let down' by the British government. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 53, from East Sussex, were jailed for 10 years in January 2025 while travelling through Iran on a global motorcycle trip. They are now held in Tehran's Evin prison, which has been affected by US-Israeli bombardment.
Joe Bennett, Ms Foreman's son, said British consular staff did not inform his parents that they were leaving Iran a day before the conflict erupted. He described feeling a profound sense of abandonment. 'My government has let me down,' he told The Telegraph. 'They are British citizens who appear to have been abandoned. They are in real and immediate danger.'
Mr Bennett has reported dire conditions inside the prison, alleging his parents have been separated, held in solitary confinement, and denied legal representation. He said neither the British prime minister nor the foreign secretary has responded to letters or a petition. Ahead of addressing the US Capitol this week, he hopes Mr Trump may offer support. 'Donald Trump is a father and he has a family. I am sure he loves them deeply. And that is the reason I appeal to him to help us get them out,' he said.
Mr Bennett, 31, is to address the Transatlantic Conference on Hostage-Taking and Arbitrary Detention in Washington on Thursday. He noted that the US actively raises hostages' names in high-level discussions, while the UK does not. He previously recounted a bomb exploding near the prison, causing panic. The family spokesperson said the legal process has collapsed, with the Revolutionary Courts that sentenced the couple reportedly targeted in airstrikes, and their state-appointed lawyer having left the country.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'The welfare of British nationals detained in Iran is a priority for this government... Craig and Lindsay’s sentences are completely appalling and totally unjustifiable, and we will continue to pursue this case relentlessly.'
