Son of jailed British couple appeals to Trump over parents’ Iran detention amid war
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The son of a British couple who has been detained in Iran for more than a year is appealing to President Donald Trump after the war in Iran complicated the situation.
“Conditions have intensified, at least in the last few weeks, as you can imagine due to the complexity of the war,” Joe Bennett told Fox News on Saturday.
He said the infamous Evin prison where his parents are being held in Tehran is already at capacity, and the recent surge of protesters has created overcrowded conditions.
“Food is scarce,” he added. “We are concerned about the replenishment of food stocks. So these unsanitary conditions. They describe it as ‘Hell on Earth’.”
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The family and supporters of Lindsay and Craig Foreman unfurled a banner calling for their freedom in London on the first anniversary of their detention in January. (Brook Mitchell/AFP via Getty Images)
“The bombs being dropped there and the activity there are increasing anxiety for us and for them.”
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested by Iranian authorities in January 2025 during a motorcycle trip around the world and were later sentenced to 10 years in prison on suspicion of espionage.
Bennett criticized the “nonexistent” advocacy for his parents by British leaders – namely Prime Minister Keir Starmer – at the McCain Institute’s US-UK Transatlantic Conference on Hostage Taking and Arbitrary Detention in Washington DC on Thursday, BBC News reported.
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“The clear message to the UK government and Starmer is to stop hiding behind this as a consular case,” Bennett told Fox News. “I think that was thrown out the window when they were accused of spying for the Israeli Mossad and the UK government and sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage.”
Joe Bennett, centre, stands outside Number 10 Downing Street in London with a petition in January. (Ben Whitley/PA Images via Getty Images)
Bennett continued: “We have not seen Keir Starmer’s leadership qualities. As you say, we have not seen him defend him since the sentencing condemning this sham process and the treatment of UK citizens.”
He said Starmer’s silence had left Bennett’s family “disappointed”. “We think there’s an opportunity to do that, and there still is.”
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Bennett emphasized that detaining and punishing his parents was “hostage-taking.”
Lindsay and Craig Foreman’s son, Joe Bennett, called on President Trump to be sensitive about Iran’s attacks. (Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty Images)
“This affects not just the UK, but the US and Western civilisation,” Bennett added. “Innocent people are being targeted for profit as political pawns.”
He also urged Trump to be “concise” about the Iran attacks and not to forget that the British and Americans were in that prison.
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Speaking to Fox News, Bennett said, “The two things I would like to say to Mr. Trump are, first of all, security is important.” “The missiles hit Evin in June of last year but it was also very close, so I think the goal is – I just want it to be concise so Evin is not part of it and secondly not to forget that they were there.”
He noted that U.S. citizens as well as his parents were imprisoned in Evin.
“And as a humanitarian appeal, I ask a son to release his mother,” he said.
