Family of British couple in Tehran prison want loved ones freed as part of Trump’s Iran peace deal

The family of a British couple held in Iran are pressing Donald Trump to push for a hostage exchange as part of a deal to end the war.

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, from East Sussex, were sentenced to 10 years in Tehran’s Evin prison last year after Iran accused them of spying during a motorbike trip around the world. They deny the accusations.

According to the family, the couple were on hunger strike for 39 and 30 days respectively because they feared “there was no other way to make their voices heard” as they were effectively stranded without legal representation.

Lindsay’s son, Joe Bennett, said Wednesday that “any serious framework agreement” between the United States and Iran must include the fate of foreign detainees as negotiators move toward a preliminary agreement to end the war expected on Friday.

“Peace shouldn’t just mean quieter borders and opening of shipping lanes. It should also mean people returning to their homes,” he said.

“We’re not asking politicians to play games with this,” he added. “We ask them to use the diplomatic initiative available to them.

“If Iran is now talking to the United States and the international community about de-escalation, sanctions, and its future relationship with the world, then the release of arbitrarily detained foreign nationals should be on that table as well.”

“The UK government should not watch from the sidelines. We need urgent, visible and coordinated action with the US administration and G7 allies. Craig and Lindsay need consular access, medical care, regular family contact and a route home. This must be the bare minimum,” he continued.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said earlier this month that “arrangements could be made” in response to calls for a prisoner swap following a joint UN investigation. Independent and Sky News revealed that senior Iranian officials had waged a 15-year campaign to extradite an aging Iranian stalker held by the UK.

Mr Bennett, from Folkestone in Kent, traveled to the US in March to seek help from Trump, voicing his frustration with the British government.

He said British consular staff did not tell their parents they would be leaving Iran the day before the war started. Independent He said he felt a deep sense of abandonment by the UK.

Mr Bennett said his parents were made to sleep on concrete floors or metal bunk beds without mattresses and lived in overcrowded, unsanitary and vermin-infested conditions in the prison, which was filled with protesters from the wave of unrest that swept the country at the beginning of the year.

They are said to face death threats in prison, regularly witness knife fights, are visibly malnourished and suffer from chronic medical neglect in prison. Craig is said to be suffering from an untreated toothache and both are said to be suffering from chronic medical neglect.

The family, who said the couple lost their appeal against the sentence earlier this month, said they were not allowed to attend the hearing and were forced to sign documents in Persian that they could not read.

Mr Bennett said the case had been referred to Iran’s Supreme Court, but the process and timeline remained unclear and the couple effectively lacked legal representation.

The British government has previously described the Foremans’ sentence as “completely unfair” and said it would continue to press for their release. The family criticized the government’s response earlier this year, saying the couple were used as “human shields” during conflict in the region.

The family collected more than 88,000 signatures petition Action is demanded to ensure the release of the Foremans.

The FCDO has been approached for comment.