Son Calls For Prisoner Exchange As British Couple Held In Iran Continue Hunger Strike

(c) Sky News

The son of a British couple jailed in Iran has called for the UK Government to consider a prisoner exchange in an effort to secure their release, as both remain on hunger strike in detention.

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who are from East Sussex, have been held in Iran since January 2025.

They were sentenced in February to 10 years in prison on espionage charges, which they strongly deny.

The family says an appeal against the sentence has since been rejected.

Lindsay Foreman’s son, Joe Bennett, has urged authorities to explore whether a prisoner swap involving an Iranian national held in the UK could be used to bring his mother and step-father home.

He said the family believes there is interest from Iran in a detainee currently held in a UK maximum-security prison, and questioned why the option has not been actively pursued.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has dismissed suggestions of a possible exchange, saying there is “no truth whatsoever” to the claims and warning that speculation could hinder efforts to secure the couple’s release.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy also said while arrangements of that nature can sometimes be made, he did not believe the specifics in this case were credible and said further detail could not be discussed publicly.

The family says contact with Craig and Lindsay Foreman has been extremely limited and describes information about their welfare as inconsistent and unclear.

Joe Bennett said the hunger strike is now their greatest concern, with Craig Foreman understood to be on day 30 and Lindsay Foreman on day 21.

He added that the legal process in Iran has been “opaque”, with the case now referred to the country’s Supreme Court.

Human rights campaigner Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was previously detained in Iran, said such cases are often used for political leverage and warned that hunger strikes typically reflect growing desperation.

The Foremans were arrested while travelling through Iran on a round-the-world motorcycle trip.

The UK Government has previously described their sentences as “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable” and says diplomatic efforts to secure their release are ongoing.

The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Iran, citing a significant risk of arrest or detention for British nationals.