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AIBU?

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Original poster

Couple held in Iran

660 replies

StrawDonkey · 15/02/2025 16:44

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c626p6pz7xlo

AIBU to not understand why anyone would go on a motorcycle trip to Iran? Advice is not to go there at all but I can understand that someone desperate to see family would take a risk.

OP posts:
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10
RedRosesParmaViolets · 16/02/2025 07:34

I wouldn't touch iran but I didn't realise Pakistan was also unsafe

ThinWomansBrain · 16/02/2025 07:30

MagdaLenor · 16/02/2025 07:03

Did she? What did she say?

Show quote history

RTFT - I quoted it earlier, it's also in the link that is contained in the original post.

BlueSilverCats · 16/02/2025 07:30

@Mittens67

Mrs Foreman is reported to have been carrying out a research project on their journey to Australia, asking people what it means to be human and what constitutes a good life.
She was due to present her findings at a conference on positive psychology in Brisbane in July.

sageGreen81 · 16/02/2025 07:28

Of course people are good all over the world. There so much more goodness and love than hate. However that is not reason alone to travel to a country to meet people where you have been advised not to go.

There are plenty of Iranian people you can talk to in the UK that will tell you of the beauty, culture and gosh you can't describe how wonderful a place Iran is - but it's not somewhere to travel now sadly.

SchoolDilemma17 · 16/02/2025 07:21

Mittens67 · 16/02/2025 07:18

No. I don't look at instagram.
Nor do I use the word "super" to mean very.
I also understand that the word persuade does not mean coerce.
Whether she was enthusiastic on social media or not does not mean the trip was not thought up or encouraged by her husband.
I am not saying that men have cornered the market in stupidity. Far from it!

Edited
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Wow what a charmer you are. Hope you have a good morning in the smart ass corner of your world.

nickatiara · 16/02/2025 07:18

Chuchoter · 15/02/2025 18:28

Why is she gurning like a loon in the photos like she is possessed?

I can't imagine the fun police/hardcore Islamists thinking that's an acceptable way for a woman to behave in their 'women should be covered up and quiet' Islamic country .

To be honest, I would take exception to her manic mannerisms here in Wales 😕

Erm..she's literally just smiling? I think they're idiots for what they've done too but you're being unnecessarily nasty.

Mittens67 · 16/02/2025 07:18

SchoolDilemma17 · 16/02/2025 07:09

Did you see her instagram? She is super enthusiastic about Iran and this trip. I highly doubt she was coerced.
BTW posting photos while thete of meeting with mullahs and others was also a very stupid idea. I hope no locals got in trouble because of her.

Show quote history

No. I don't look at instagram.
Nor do I use the word "super" to mean very.
I also understand that the word persuade does not mean coerce.
Whether she was enthusiastic on social media or not does not mean the trip was not thought up or encouraged by her husband.
I am not saying that men have cornered the market in stupidity. Far from it!

SchoolDilemma17 · 16/02/2025 07:17

ReformMyArse · 16/02/2025 07:16

She’s so irritating that I’m sure we’ll get her back quickly.

Comment of the thread 🤣🤣🤣

Can’t wait for the breakfast tv tour and book tour 🙄

ReformMyArse · 16/02/2025 07:16

She’s so irritating that I’m sure we’ll get her back quickly.

MagdaLenor · 16/02/2025 07:15

Well, it sounds very much as if she was completely aware of all the warnings.
I do think that some people, brought up in Western democracies, with all the rights, protection and privilege, still don't understand what it's like elsewhere and think that because they're nice, it'll be ok.

SchoolDilemma17 · 16/02/2025 07:12

From her instagram

Couple held in Iran
Couple held in Iran
MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 16/02/2025 07:11

saraclara · 15/02/2025 17:29

Iran is a wonderful place, and I'm so glad that I went when I did.
But they were stupid, because apart from anything else, even when I went, it was compulsory for Brits to travel with an agent. Being there independently of a travel company was not allowed. To do so at a less stable time was just foolish.

ETA apparently they WERE with a tour guide. But still, really not a safe time to be there.

Edited

It still is compulsory for Brits (and US citizens) to travel with a tour guide. Most other nationalities can enjoy independent travel in Iran and less stringent visa regulations

CerealPosterHere · 16/02/2025 07:09

Now I’m reading this thread thinking would I rather lose both hands to a shark or spend six years in an Iranian prison. Decided I’d actually rather spend time in an Iranian prison. Hopefully they get released sooner than six years!

They are daft but obviously just thought they’d be fine, they’d be able to convince the authorities they’re just passing through on their trip/not a spy. Not realising actually the Iranians don’t care…they may just want them to use as a political pawn.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 16/02/2025 07:09

Rugbyterms · 15/02/2025 17:34

I have no sympathy I am afraid. Surely they must have heard of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe was a dual national. Under Iranian law - like various other countries' law- dual nationality is not recognised and she was effectively an Iranian citizen. This couple were not

SchoolDilemma17 · 16/02/2025 07:09

Mittens67 · 16/02/2025 02:56

Persuade does not mean coerce. But now having read this woman is a "life coach" she clearly has more than sufficient stupidity to have thought of this ridiculous plan herself.

Show quote history

Did you see her instagram? She is super enthusiastic about Iran and this trip. I highly doubt she was coerced.
BTW posting photos while thete of meeting with mullahs and others was also a very stupid idea. I hope no locals got in trouble because of her.

Superhansrantowindsor · 16/02/2025 07:07

It’s like those people who go up Ben Nevis in flip flops in winter. And then some poor souls have to take enormous risks to rescue them. They knew the risks but arrogantly thought they knew best.

MagdaLenor · 16/02/2025 07:03

hazelnutvanillalatte · 16/02/2025 05:42

No, I wouldn't automatically assume that. Women are just as capable of being naive and stupid as men. She posted on FB about going against government advice.

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Did she? What did she say?

sashh · 16/02/2025 07:02

Stupid to travel there and even more stupid to do 'research'.

It doesn't matter if 99% of Iranians hate the regime and are good people (and everyone I've met from Iran / Persia has been) the fact is the government isn't like that and the government have power.

Any 'research' is going to be seen as spying by the government.

BlueSilverCats · 16/02/2025 06:54

Mittens67 · 16/02/2025 00:01

What’s the betting that the bloke was the instigator and the woman went along with it despite her own misgivings?
How many of us have been persuaded into something stupid to please a man?
I know I certainly was at various points in my life.

At least read the article first .

dottiedodah · 16/02/2025 06:45

Apparently they felt "most people in the world are basically nice an kind" ! WtF .Honestly they sound about 6 .Nazanin was visiting her family and was Iranian she was captured.these people ignored advice,and just went for it .what did they think would happen

romatheroamer · 16/02/2025 06:39

Certainly naive, stupid and idiotic but not arrogant. Arrogant means having an exaggerated sense of your own importance, I don't get that about them from the story. And what's their being middle class got to do with it?

ssd · 16/02/2025 06:36

He's a carpenter and she is a life coach with a doctorate in psychology. That bbc article couldn't describe a pair of wankers better if it tried.

ChessorBuckaroo · 16/02/2025 06:23

Mochudubh · 15/02/2025 19:38

Pair of twats.

Middle-aged, middle class, self-indulgent twats.

Only a tiny minority of people their age have the resources to just take off and go round the world to "find themselves" or spread love or whatever the fuck they though they were doing. Generous early retirement packages is my guess. Well they can spend what's left of their retirement money on lawyers to get them out.

They remind me of the American missionary guy who went off to bring Jesus to some uncontacted island tribe in the Indian Ocean despite many warnings that these people REALLY did not like outsiders. It did not end well.

Edited

He got off a canoe (which quickly departed after dropping him off) to bring them the "good news". They greeted him spears. Don't think he even made it to shore.

Justalittlehandhold · 16/02/2025 06:10

Mittens67 · 16/02/2025 00:01

What’s the betting that the bloke was the instigator and the woman went along with it despite her own misgivings?
How many of us have been persuaded into something stupid to please a man?
I know I certainly was at various points in my life.

What a ridiculous assumption. Plenty of women are able to voice their own opinions and not do ridiculous things to please a man.

Your assumption that all women now dine to men, is insulting and widely wrong!

Kiwi83 · 16/02/2025 06:00

I have no sympathy at all tbh. They're fucking idiots.

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