A BRITISH couple detained while on a motorcycle trip in Iran have been charged with espionage.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were on a round-the-world journey and travelled through the country despite official warnings when they were arrested.
British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been charged with espionage in IranRex
facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle MissionThe couple had been on a round-the-world motorcycle trip[/caption]
facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle MissionThey were detained in Iran[/caption]
The couple has been accused of entering Iran ‘under the guise of tourists’facebook/PPK2K RTW Motorcycle Mission
They were initially detained in January on unspecified security charges.
The couple have now been accused of collecting information in different locations throughout the country, Iranian judiciary Mizan news agency reported.
Craig and Lindsay were also accused of entering Iran “under the guise of tourists and, under the guise of investigative and research work,” according to Iranian state media.
A spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary said: “These individuals were cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile Western countries under the guise of investigative and research activities.”
The judiciary spokesperson also said the pair “were monitored with the cooperation of security agencies and arrested”.
The couple are currently being held in the southeastern city of Kerman, per state media.
Craig, a carpenter, and Lindsay, a life coach, travelled into Iran from Armenia on 30 December and reportedly planned to leave by 4 January.
They visited Tabriz, Tehran, and Isfahan btu failed to check into their hotel in Kerman.
Iranian authorities then released an image of the couple – faces blurred – meeting Hugo Shorter, the British ambassador.
The Foreign Office said the couples arrest has “caused significant concern,” in a statement released over the weekend.
The statement added it was “united in our determination to secure their safe return”.
The couple, who had previously been featured on Channel 4‘s A New Life in the Sun, had ignored pleas from friends, family and the Foreign Office (FCDO) not to enter Iran.
FCDO guidance explicitly warns against all travel to the country, cautioning that British citizens could be arrested simply for their nationality.
Despite this, the couple acknowledged the extreme risk in a social media post on December 30.
It read: “Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we’ve chosen to keep moving forward.
“Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life. Yes, we’re aware of the risks.
“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.”
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