A British couple detained in Iran have gone on hunger strike in a “cry out for help” after feeling “let down” by the UK government, their son has said.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were taken into custody by Iranian authorities in January while on a motorcycle tour around the world.
The couple, both in their 50s, were later charged with espionage. They deny the allegations and are being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Ms Foreman told her son, Joe Bennett, that “not eating was the only power she’s got” in a seven-and-a-half minute call the two were allowed on Tuesday, as he appealed to the UK to do more to secure their release. He has only been able to speak to his mother three times since her arrest.
He told the BBC he does not know when their hunger strike began, adding: “She said she felt lost and let down by the government here as well as the authorities in Iran.”
“Positivity only lasts so long against reality,” he said. “It’s just a cry out for help.”
The couple appeared in court in Iran last month, but Ms Foreman told her son that the appearance “had not gone well”.
They had been told to “expect a verdict rather than another appearance”.’
The detained couple’s family met foreign secretary Yvette Cooper in October, but Mr Bennett described the approach of the UK government as “deeply concerning”.
He said at the time: “Right now, it feels like each side is waiting for the other to move first.
“The British are waiting for a sentence before acting. The Iranians are deciding what sentence to hand down.
“And in the middle of this diplomatic stalemate are my parents, innocent people caught between two systems moving too slowly.”
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns all British and British-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran because of a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”.
A spokesperson for the FCDO said: “We are deeply concerned by reports that Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities.
“The FCDO are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.”
The Foremans’ family say the couple entered Iran with valid visas, a licensed guide and a pre-approved itinerary.
After visiting the cities of Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan while sharing their journey on social media, they had been due to arrive in Kerman but failed to check into their hotel.
Ms Foreman was said to be carrying out a research project as part of the journey, asking people what constitutes a “good life”. She was due to present her findings at a conference on positive psychology in Brisbane in July, the BBC reported.
