Couple held in Iran

She is not a professor. She has a PhD (I've read her thesis... it's "different"...) but she has no current academic affiliation and no research or teaching position at any university. 🙏

She's a professor of psychology and life coach.

I'm not sure I'd want to see her for guidance about what do with my life 😉

But this couple think the world is a big happy clappy family so they won’t make that 👆distinction. Is the woman really a professor of something? If so why the flash cards?

Thing is you can watch videos taken by Chinese tourists in Iran. And they can explore without a guide, take drone footage, chat and take selfies with locals, post it on YouTube.

But they are Chinese.

None of these activities are acceptable to the Iranian regime from a British passport holder.

Or even bothering to keep updated on world events or read FCO advice.

@sashh I suspect the desire to look edgy and worldly on IG overrode any modicum of sanity or self-preservation.

I've just had a look at some of the photos.

The VPN was a really bad idea. Then they uploaded photos of them holding hands and cuddling.

Why take the risk of having those photos? Then risk things further by uploading them?

My word. They think they’re in a National Trust tearoom. Were they planning on Selfies from Syria too?

Jesus wept, the naïveté and tone deafness of that FB post. “We’re having to use a vpn to get on social media”. Yes love, that’ll be because your friendly fundamentalist mullahs in charge are none too keen on folk using SM to communicate, or circumventing the law that prohibits SM use using technology, so if you post about intending to do just that, expects peons on shit to land imminently.

I suspect somebody saw them coming… But if you meet the conditions (guide, sponsor, etc) anyone can apply. It’s just unusual because of the FCO advice and because the regime’s hostility towards “the West” means it’s not guaranteed. (If there was a realistic option to surrender his Iranian passport which allows visa-free travel to Iran, DH would do it. Continuing to hold the passport alongside his UK one causes no end of problems for getting visas to other countries, most notably the US).

What gets me is the arrogance of “we’ve decided it’s worth the risk”. Other than their massive egos, what gives this couple the idea that they know better than the FCO (whose job it is to assess this type of risk, and whose advice is, unequivocally, don’t even fucking think about it?) Down with experts, eh?

An extremely valid point.

Interesting comment on one of their Facebook posts

As an Iranian, I am appalled by the entitlement of people like you, who, despite freedom-seeking Iranians' warnings, go to Iran and become a bargaining chip for the terrorist regime. People like you are accomplices in the murder of Iranian people. Every time, you earn the regime billions in cash or get dangerous terrorists released from Western prisons and let loose on the streets of Iran to kill us. You are a disgrace to humanity. You deserve what happened to you. We don't deserve the pain you'll bring on us.

I also don’t think posting things like this while they were there was wise.

The visa has nothing to do with anything. A tourist visa gives you the right to be a tourist, but they interviewed and recorded locals. For Iran that’s classed as espionage.

A statement, translated from Persian, said: "The individuals entered Iran under the guise of tourists and, under the guise of investigative and research work, have collected information in several provinces of the country."

On the radio they said they had a drone too 🤷🏻‍♀️

the foreign office guidelines are very very clear.

You are at risk of arrest, detention and a death sentence if you travel to Iran.
British nationals are at increased risk of questioning and detention by the Iranian authorities. See Safety and security.

Yes, they did. And they had a guide. Though whether he was with them when they were arrested is unclear.

Did they have a visa then?

I feel sorry for their family who probably pleaded with them not to go.

It would be sensible to read the FOC guidance and adhere to it!

Having a visa means nothing!

Very sad story. It should be reasonable to believe that if you have a visa and don’t break the law, you’ll be safe (other than from criminals). But unfortunately that’s not the case in places like Iran.

Just pasted this from above, sorry I should have quoted their post with my question re visas.

Vinvertebrate · Today 18:28

Sorry @Westfacing - I posted a fulsome (waffly) explanation, then trimmed it down and it didn’t make sense.

Basically, UK/US/Canada citizens can only travel to Iran with a visa, which is rarely granted. (Theoretically, you need to be with an organised group and have a local guide accompanying you at all times, and you might also need to bribe an official because they don’t like handing visas out to the likes of us - we are infidels of Little Satan/Big Satan (in the regime’s eyes) so why would they?

The vast, vast majority of Westerners visiting Iran WILL be dual nationals (like my DH), even if they have lived outside Iran not speaking Farsi for decades. So saying “not dual nationals” doesn’t really make sense because normally they’re the only ones that CAN visit.

Totally agree with this , they must be complete idiots .

What is that rare? You can get a tourist visa when you book a tour. The foreign office advices against all travel to Iran. If only that meant they now didn’t have to deal with this mess. I feel for the staff and the ambassador.

Applying for a visa
If you choose to travel to Iran against FCDOadvice, apply for a visa well in advance of your travel. The application process for an Iranian visa can be long and unpredictable.
If you want to travel to Iran with a British passport, the Iranian Embassy has told FCDO you must either apply as part of an organised tour or have a sponsor in Iran to get a visa.

Can I ask why they were issued with a visa given that they aren't dual nationals if it's that rare?

God help them if/when they are free through. A 3 hour presentation on how to be human and how to survive an Iranian jail with just the power of positive thoughts. Followed by a sing song of "heal the world" or something.

No I’m sure they’re less cocky upbeat now.

They are a silly greedy pair on the make. And it's gone a bit pear shaped.