Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Thread gallery
10
Gingernaut · 15/02/2025 18:29

Between this pair of twits and the idiot who was trying to pose with a shark and lost a hand trying, I'm wondering what the Top 10 for the Darwin Awards will be this year.

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 😕

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 15/02/2025 18:24

NotTerfNorCis · 15/02/2025 17:33

I have sympathy. They obviously had a naively optimistic view of human nature. They aren't bad people.

They aren't Mensa candidates either!

RoundLid · 15/02/2025 18:24

Pair of absolute morons.

It is likely that the UK will be able to get them out. The reason Nazanin and Anoosheh were held for so long was that they were dual nationals which made the situation much harder.

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 15/02/2025 18:23

Rugbyterms · 15/02/2025 17:34

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

The worst part is that Nazanin had every reason to be there and still suffered six years of utter hell and these clowns thought they could just pass through on a jolly.

noctilucentcloud · 15/02/2025 18:21

NotTerfNorCis · 15/02/2025 17:33

I have sympathy. They obviously had a naively optimistic view of human nature. They aren't bad people.

I have a naive optimistic view of humans. I'm sure Iran has the same share of lovely people in the population as elsewhere, but the power structure, political instability and risk means it's not safe there for UK nationals at the moment. They were incredibly stupid not to listen to the concerns of loved ones and their own worries And arrogant and reckless to ignore the foreign office advice who know the situation in Iran far better than them.

hazelnutvanillalatte · 15/02/2025 18:19

Absolute morons. Total naivety. I am friends with many Iranians who hate the regime and the ideology of the region. The man who held up a sign at the anti-Israel marches saying Hamas = Terrorist is Iranian.

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 15/02/2025 18:13

As the saying goes,

Play stupid games.
Win stupid prizes.

Porcuporpoise · 15/02/2025 18:10

I feel sad for them and I can quite see why they'd want to visit, Iran would be an amazing country to visit in other circumstances.
But yeah, what were they thinking? Can't work out if they were startingly stupid, incredibly arrogant or breathtakingly naive.

Bloom15 · 15/02/2025 17:58

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/02/2025 16:50

I have zero sympathy- classic middle class arrogance, assuming they know better than all the advice.

Yep! The story goes on about how they 'believed in people' - if they were 18 I would understand the naïvety but not middle aged people

MrsTerryPratchett · 15/02/2025 17:57

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

This.

I'd LOVE to go to many beautiful places in that part of the world. But the risks are just so high if it goes wrong.

I already to go to places people can't fathom anyone wanting to go, that's a step further.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 15/02/2025 17:49

Maybe they’ll meet some incredible people in prison and memories.

LoudSnoringDog · 15/02/2025 17:47

Utter morons

ERthree · 15/02/2025 17:44

Arrogant reckless and entitled.

Squiggles23 · 15/02/2025 17:43

It cost us £400m to get Nazanin and the other hostages back (yes technically money we owed).

Its breathtakingly arrogant that someone would willingly put themselves at extreme risk and I have no sympathy.

itsgettingweird · 15/02/2025 17:39

I've just read this and thought "idiots who think they know best" so I'm glad to find a thread here where the general feeling is the same.

It was like the family who travelled abroad to free birth and then seemed shocked their child didn't have a nationality and couldn't get a passport. 🤦‍♀️

GlitchStitch · 15/02/2025 17:36

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14400895/Captive-British-couple-Craig-Lindsay-Foremans-haunting-post-ignoring-advice-travel-Iran.html

The link above shows posts from them saying they are ignoring advice from their family, friends and the foreign office. I hope nobody is put at risk to rescue them.

Davros · 15/02/2025 17:36

After Nazanin there's no way they should have gone

Jeschara · 15/02/2025 17:35

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/02/2025 16:50

I have zero sympathy- classic middle class arrogance, assuming they know better than all the advice.

100% this.

Rugbyterms · 15/02/2025 17:34

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

NotTerfNorCis · 15/02/2025 17:33

I have sympathy. They obviously had a naively optimistic view of human nature. They aren't bad people.

ElatedShark · 15/02/2025 17:33

It's just pure arrogance and entitlement

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/02/2025 17:32

No sympathy for them.

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.

IkeaJesusChrist · 15/02/2025 17:21

No sympathy, they're a pair of idiots.

Swipe left for the next trending thread