The family of Lindsay and Craig Foreman, a British couple detained in Iran while traveling by motorcycle, is urgently calling for their safe return. Describing the situation as “distressing,” the family is seeking international support as the couple remains in custody in southeastern Iran. The Foremans, who were on a months-long journey through Europe, had planned to travel through Iran into South Asia and Southeast Asia before concluding their trip in Australia by July.
The couple, residing in Spain, had been documenting their adventure on social media, sharing moments of human connection, hope, and the challenges they faced along the way. On January 3, they posted about visiting a madrassa (theological school) in the historic city of Isfahan, Iran, sharing a smiling selfie. Shortly after that post, however, their online activity ceased, sparking concern among their followers and family.
Previously, the couple had expressed excitement about their trip through Iran, despite the UK government’s warning against travel to the country for British and dual nationals. They had arrived in Iran from Armenia in late December and posted photos of themselves enjoying tea and exploring the country, assuring their followers they were having a “wonderful time.”
The couple’s disappearance echoes a larger pattern of arbitrary detentions involving foreign nationals in Iran. In 2022, British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released after six years of imprisonment on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, which she denied. Her release followed the settlement of a $524 million debt owed by the UK to Iran.
As the Foremans’ detention continues, their family, along with advocacy groups, is calling for the British government to take action and ensure their safe release. The couple’s unexpected and unexplained detention adds to the ongoing concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals in Iran amidst heightened political tensions.
