A British couple imprisoned in Iran have conveyed their terror to family members as American and Israeli bombs continue to devastate Tehran, with prison guards deserting their posts. Craig and Lindsay Foreman, originally from East Sussex, reported taking shelter beneath beds as missiles struck the Iranian capital, warning that conditions inside the notorious Evin Prison are worsening dramatically.
Espionage Charges and Arrest
Mr Foreman, aged 52, and his 53-year-old wife received a ten-year prison sentence in February on espionage allegations, which they both vehemently deny. The pair were apprehended in January 2025 while traversing Iran during a global motorcycle expedition. They were among thousands of inmates at Evin jail thrown into what has been described as a 'blind panic' when the initial US and Israeli aircraft flew over the nation last weekend.
Immediate Impact of Bombing
The couple stated that some aerial strikes were so proximate that the windows in their cell shattered and plaster cascaded from the walls. During the opening bombardment, guards abandoned the prison facility, which is now under the command of Nopo, a US-sanctioned Iranian counter-terrorism unit notorious for employing heavy machine guns against unarmed women and children.
Mrs Foreman's son, 31-year-old Joe Bennett, disclosed that inmates are subsisting on rice and gristle after Nopo shuttered the prison shop, depriving them of fruit and vegetables. Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, Mr Bennett expressed his constant anxiety: 'I am waiting for a call every day, minute-by-minute, just to know they are still alive.'
Desperate Communications
'Sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesn't. On Saturday, my mum was just swearing down the phone. I didn't know what was happening. I could hear screams and people scrambling for cover. Then the line cut. I was thinking what the hell is going on? It was mass panic. I thought that was it.' Three hours later, Mr Bennett recounted receiving a call from Mr Foreman informing him that the war had commenced.
'He told me a missile had landed less than a mile away from the prison and knocked his cell window out,' he revealed. Mr and Mrs Foreman, who are housed separately within the prison, informed Mr Bennett that the strikes have only intensified since Saturday. He added gravely: 'It could happen any time. They are in a war zone. They are not safe.'
Appeals to Government
This distressing message emerges as Mr Bennett has previously implored the British government to assist the couple. In a formal statement, he declared: 'We remain extremely concerned about their safety and welfare. They are currently in the middle of a warzone without local consular support.'
'They are in danger of being hit by stray explosions, being caught up in local skirmishes or even being shot. There is also danger of starvation and water supplies running out as they are back to having no funds to buy supplies even though the prison shop is open.'
'We implore our government and that of the US to make sure that their safety and welfare, along with all the other foreign nationals held in Iran, is a priority at this time.' A spokesperson for the family further emphasised: 'The family remain extremely concerned that Lindsay and Craig, along with other political prisoners' safety and welfare, are not an obvious priority to the UK or US Government.'
Political Reactions
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper previously characterised the couple's sentence as 'completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,' and vowed that the Government will 'pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned.' Dame Priti Patel, her Conservative counterpart, denounced the couple's jail term as 'disgraceful' and urged Sir Keir Starmer to 'use all available leverage' to secure their release.
The couple's sentence was confirmed to their families last month, following their recent dispatch of a letter to Iranian authorities protesting their treatment. Mr Bennett described the sentence as 'gut-wrenching' and has pressed the UK Government to 'step up to the mark' in securing their freedom.
Broader Conflict Context
News concerning Mr and Mrs Foreman arrives after a week of intense bombing in Tehran, with strikes impacting hospitals, schools and residential buildings since last Saturday. The US and Israel initiated their attacks by targeting the core of Iran's leadership and debilitating its military in the war's opening days, resulting in the death of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump cautioned that escalation was imminent, stating 'the big one' was en route. By Tuesday, the bombing appeared to be extending into civilian zones. Iran has since raised its so-called 'Red Flag of Revenge,' and launched ballistic missiles and drones at US allies and assets across the region.
A succession of strikes have occurred throughout neighbouring Gulf states, with explosions reported in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The Foremans' plight underscores the perilous situation for foreign detainees amidst escalating hostilities, with their family's desperate appeals highlighting the urgent need for diplomatic intervention.
