Couple held in Iran

[StrawDonkey]

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.

No actually. She specifically attended schools in the area, talked to the girls about her life and career, took plenty of photos of the women. She drew attention to that fact specifically.

There are different ways of making a positive impact, and tourism and extra-cultural exposure is chief among them, as is drawing attention to the hidden aspects of a country that you don't see either because of western bias and or dictatorial censorship, which I assume is what this couple were trying to do.

As regards the official advice regarding travelling, I believe the official advice has always been that's not safe for Brits to travel there and yet plenty of Britons still have and do. I concede it wasn't the best decision to go now, however I doubt they were the only foreigners there and I maintain they were mostly unlucky. Had they been more discreet, probably nothing would have happened.

People to dangerous things for leisure all the time. Mountain climbing, deep sea diving, extreme skiing are all among activities that can cause you to literally die.

Likewise, some people like to go to places that are less travelled even if it's dangerous. For some the danger is the thrill.

That doesn't mean they deserve mocking if it all goes wrong, anymore than the person who stumbles, falls and dies whilst undertaking a very difficult climb does.

This couple were intrepid wanderers. It was what they did and they don't deserve locking up or people on internet taking the mick out of them. Imagine what they're going through, if it were you or loved ones, would you like a ton of strangers calling you stupid and saying they have no sympathy?

Does internet just make people crass, because I honestly do not believe for a moment that anyone here would really say these things to them or truly has no sympathy. Deep down you're appalled at what they might suffer. It's an unpleasant thought.

I’ll assume the mountain climber has there own travel insurance and be as the tax payer doesn’t have their government needing to pay 483 million for their rescue.

They weren’t intrepid warriors, they were and are idiots, I assume they realise that now and maybe you should as well.

People do do risky things - such as deep sea diving, mountain climbing - activities that can end up with death.

You can take steps to reduce the risks of these activities. Not eliminate them.

And you would have to balance the outcome of the activity with the potential risk involved and the chances of that happening.

Going to Iran is risky and the potential outcome could be many years in jail.

Is that risk worth going to Iran for 5 days to get some stuff for social media?

Do you think they’re sitting in their cells now, saying we are intrepid warriors?

Or are they saying we were bloody idiots?

🤔

Intrepid wanderers?? You'd go there wouldn't you, I can just see it....

I see your point. But this has to be balanced by the fact that many foreigners including Brits do go to Iran and leave safely. Doubtless this is what they thought. What actually, among all the people who have visited and returned are the chances of being locked up, especially if you go with a tour guide?

They weighed up the risk. As you say you cannot totally eliminate all risk. But that is not the same as being stupid, anymore than preparing for a tough mountain trek known to be dangerous in which a few people have died climbing, but most complete successfully is stupid.

It's unfortunate.

I think the thing is that they intentionally went using other people's crowd funded money and and publicly documented their trip, knowing, being warned about and well aware of the risks. They didn't veer off course and unwittingly cross a border, neither were they going to visit a sick relative, or doing charitable works.

However, I wouldn't wish torture, imprisonment and inhospitable treatment on anyone just because they were foolish. It is an incredibly harsh price to pay for an unwise decision, albeit one they were well informed about.

Was the risk of being jailed for a long time worth the 5 day visit?

People don't think it will happen to them. Until it happens to them.

This made me laugh. DH is “your average Iranian” and has been saying this, practically word for word, since the news broke. With an added “good luck meeting incredible people in jail - see you in 10 years!” for good measure. Iranians know you don’t fuck with the (despotic) regime unless you’re lobotomised. He understands exactly how utterly brainless this moronic couple have been, as the holder of an Iranian (and British) passport who nonetheless hasn’t seen his Tehran family home in years, because it’s not worth the risk of arrest. We meet the in-laws in Turkey or Dubai. DH never posts anything on SM in case he is forced by circumstances to return at some point.

Honestly, if the FCO wants to spaff money at this, I’d rather they campaigned to release the life, women, freedom protesters who got their kit off in public before these absolute wallopers.

I do think it shows great egocentrism to have gone against all the recent advice, and yes, they were idiots. So tempted to wash hands of them (if I were in a position to do so) but we can't do that and have to spend the money on sorting it out. I wonder if Boris can help? 😁

They purported to be tourists but used it as a research trip. What did they think would happen?

Exactly @Jux - and crossed a land border on a flipping motorbike! Conspicuous, much?

But the whole point is they did NOT weigh up the risk. They boasted on social media how they were advised - strongly- against it by family, friends and the foreign office, but they chose to go because 'people are good and we are good and people like us walk between the raindrops because we are good and ever so naice people' guff.

They deliberately and knowingly and willingly ignored all the risks because they are at one with the universe or some such rubbish.

Because it most often doesn't happen. According to Internet there have been roughly 16 Brits detained since 1980.

I don't know how many Brits have visited Iran and returned safely in that time, but I assume it's a lot more. Iran has actually made attempts to boost tourism in the past quite surprisingly.

Absolute fools both of them. Such an arrogant pair of twats. The sort of 'look how much we travel, aren't we so amazing, we're so worldly wise' type of bores who think they're 'better people' because they travel a lot.

IDGAF what happens to them and really hope this country washes their hands of them! They made their bed. I agree with other posters... they are arrogant and entitled idiots. Let them sort their own shit out.

I have seen a few news items on them this past 2 days, and they appear to be attention-seeking, publicity hungry, fame whores who are desperate to be seen. Well, they have got their 'fame' now! Bet it's not the sort they wanted though. Every single person I have spoke to, or seen talking about this, is laughing at them, and thinks they're pathetic morons.

.

Dear Women of Afghanistan,

Never mind that you can't be treated by a male medical professional, even though women are no longer allowed to train or work as medical professionals, and never mind that you can't leave the house without a male guardian and you aren't permitted to be seen or heard by neighbours or passers-by even when you are in our own home, and forget all that stuff about women being shot or beheaded because they played sports or held political office. Everything is fine and anyone who thinks otherwise is just suffering from uneducated Western bias. Some lady tourist will be along soon to show the world how lovely everything is in Afghanistan and, although nothing will have materially changed for you, people will be a lot kinder and less bigoted when they think of your country.

Yours,

The Deluded

P.S. Yanis Varoufakis would like to know if you are still hanging on in there? He'd ask you himself but it's a bit hard when you are not allowed to speak to strange men.

@EsmaCannonball Wrong thread..............?

Boost tourism if you are NOT from the UK or US! If you are either of those nationalities then current advice is do not go - it's really very simple.

Hubris!

This couple thought it was fine to 'push the boundaries' because they were more daring and interesting than the average Brit. They would go where others feared to tread and show the world (at a public conference) that they had triumphed and we should all just 'go for it'. Magical thinking!
Not only was there arrogance that the rules didn't apply to them, but they actively participated in actions which gave the regime a reason to arrest them.

It has not made those efforts recently and certainly not towards Brits (or citizens of USA or Canada). And anybody who blogs, films, meets clerics, uses SM and whizzes about on a motorbike whilst gurning like a loon plainly has a somewhat naive view of things that are likely to grab the attention of the despicable morality police.

DH used to visit Iran pre-Trump 1.0 (and pre-DC) but will not risk it in the current climate. I was desperate to see my MIL in Tehran before she died, but couldn’t/wouldn’t risk it. The FCO is in a much better position than any of us to predict and assess the risk, and doesn’t issue “do not travel” advice lightly.

Idiots. Unless they’re actually spies. Which they could be .

What makes me cringe is their social media pages. Literally posting about how dangerous it is, the warnings about being arrested if you’re British, going against friends advice- they’re travelling there anyway.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck ergo if it acts like an idiot then it must be an idiot. There is nothing wrong with stating the obvious and it is obvious these 2 have been idiots.

I have read this since I first posted. I think they are bloody idiots, but can’t help feeling some compassion for the situation they now find themselves in.

Oh get over.

The world is screwed and yes, believe it or not Afghanistan has another side. The woman was well aware of how the women were treated. You can go somewhere and not agree with it's values. Plenty of Brits travel to Saudi and aren't troubling themselves too much while lying on the beach, about the criminal system or how women are treated. And plenty people traveled to Israel without being too concerned about the Palestinians or other places renowned for being child sex trafficking hot spots and nor, frankly, should they have to. They might choose to consider these things and travel ethically, but tourists do not have to think about the injustices or the government of the country they're travelling to. If they want to, that's for them to decide.