A British couple detained in Iran while on a round-the-world motorcycle trip have been charged with espionage.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both in their early fifties, were arrested last month and are being held in custody in Kerman, central Iran.
The pair were trying to reach Australia for a psychology research project asking people what constitutes a “good life”.
Iranian authorities alleged they had been “collecting information in different locations in the country”.
They crossed into Iran from Armenia on about December 30 and planned to reach Pakistan by 4 January.
Ms Foreman acknowledged on social media she was about to tackle the most “challenging — and, let’s be honest, slightly scary — sections of our journey: Iran and Pakistan”.
“Despite the advice of friends, family and the [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] we’ve chosen to keep moving forward,” she said on Instagram.
“Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life.”
In a previous Instagram post she said she came up with the “slightly bonkers idea” for the round-the-world trip in July at a conference on positive psychology in Austria.
The couple got motorcycle licences in August 2024 after Ms Foreman said she had wanted to get over her fear of motorbikes following the death of her brother in an accident in 1993.
“Yes, we’re aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear,” she wrote.
“From the vast deserts of Iran to the towering peaks of Pakistan, we hope to share the beauty, hospitality and humanity that often go unnoticed.”
Iran has a history of holding Western citizens on spurious security charges. British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released in 2022 after being locked up for six years.
Ms Zaghari Ratcliffe’s husband Richard, who campaigned for her release, has urged the government to act “more promptly” than it did with his wife to help release the Foremans.
Mr Ratcliffe, who went on hunger strike twice as part of his campaign for his wife’s release, said a court process may soon come “to get the government’s attention”.
“My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case,” Mr Ratcliffe said.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran.
“We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities.
“We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.”
