British Couple Sentenced To 10 Years For Spying In Iran.

[WhatSharonSaidNext]

Year after year we see high profile campaigns to release prisoners in Iran on spurious charges. Family members petition and lobby the Foreign Office to intervene as the years slip by. You would have to be living under a rock somewhere not to know that Iran is not a safe country for westerners to travel through and that if you do decide to go against advice and common sense you may not be coming home any time soon.

In the past the Foreign Office have specifically warned British citizens not to travel there. Yet still we have these stupid people who continue to go there risking their own safety expecting the foreign office to spend tax payers money bailing them out when it all goes wrong. I wonder how much of that gets paid back when they eventually get released and sell their stories? Seriously, what on earth is wrong with these people? Why do they think they are so important? Can’t possibly avoid one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, oh no, let’s just drive straight through it. What could possibly go wrong? …

Am I really being unreasonable to think these people are being more than a little bit irresponsible to put themselves in these situations and then expect that just because they are British they have some sort of immunity from anything happening to them?

Is it honestly reasonable for a retired British couple to travel through one of the most politically dangerous countries on earth as part of a nice biking tour, thinking it would be a good idea?

And rather than just clicking you are being unreasonable for the sake of it, could people explain why they think it is a perfectly reasonable thing to do please? Why it’s reasonable for a retired British couple to risk their own safety travelling to a country where everyone knows it is complete madness for a British citizen to travel and why it’s reasonable to expect the Government to sort your own stupidity out afterwards at the cost of tens of thousands of pounds, in a country that despises Britain and is widely known to routinely detain British nationals to use as political pawns?

https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison-in-iran-family-say-13503275

I've been following this and posting on the other thread. Only a week ago Lindsey Foreman gave an 'exclusive' interview via phone from Evin prison to ITV news. I'm wondering of the 3 hr trial came after this interview (I presume it did as not mentioned by ITV)

I said last week I thought that it was a very foolhardy thing to do. Why, when held on charges of espionage and spying, would you give an interview to a western news outlet talking about the sentences some of the other women in prison with you have been given in response to the recent demonstrations. It just seems utterly stupid and gives Iran another reason to say you are indeed a spy! ( This is as well as the Insta filming before they were arrested)

https://www.itv.com/news/2026-02-12/british-mum-lindsay-foreman-speaks-out-from-irans-notorious-evin-prison

They need to get in touch with Nazaneen Radcliffe, sounds like that all over again.

What hell she went through. Thankfully finally reunited with her family in the end

It does sound like Ratcliffe all over again, Brits or dual nationals entering a country known to imprison people to use as bargaining tools and just going anyway.

Have you heard this?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c747nqply93o

I'm not so sure it’s naivety. It sounds much more intentional to me.

Nazanin was in Iran visiting her parents, not having a jolly against foreign office advice.

I would imagine the last thing she would want is to be reminded of her ordeal by the family of these clowns pestering her for support, which could also end up endangering her family still in Iran.

They had absolutely no reason to go, Nazanin Zagari had a completely legitimate reason to take her child to her home country and see her family freely.

Lindsay Foreman has prepared for this , like some sort of mad challenge. Wait for the book/movie at the end of it.

They were arrogant and felt entitled. They knew the risks but made a decision to ignore them.
I would have sympathy for those who find themselves in a situation not of their own making but that certainly does not apply here.

Likewise. Many Iranians where I live as well, don’t see them rushing back to the motherland.
why anyone would go there is a mystery to me - there are many counties to discover which aren’t dangerous and run by a corrupt regime.

I read that the woman’s son is in touch with Richard Radcliffe- very different circumstances- plus knowing what happened to Nazanin would put anyone off travelling to Iran.

They are old enough to be fully aware of the risks. They would have known about Nazanin's story - it was reported for years.

It could be a little more understandable if they had been youngsters driven by naivete of youth but they knew exactly what the risks were.

They wanted an adventure in a dangerous place to brag about on social media. Smiling their way through the country and her wearing a headscarf wasn't enough to protect them - surprisingly! Idiots.

They've lived full time in Spain for over half a decade

Wrong, she helps victims.she still has an interest

She was just as foolish whether she had a legitimate reason for her little trip or not. To go back to a country who imprison people willy nilly was a stupid thing to do. She knew the risks and went anyway.

'It could be a little more understandable if they had been youngsters driven by naivete of youth but they knew exactly what the risks were'

Exactly.

She said "The fight is not over. There are so many of my friends who are in prison. I will carry on as much as I can to help them and at least shine a light on their plight."

I honestly think comparing her to these fools is an insult to her.

They´re not the only ones. We had a Spaniard who was touring the world on his bike and when he went through Iran, instead of keeping his head down and getting out the other side as soon as possible, decided that visiting the tomb of the poor Kurdish lady who was murdered by that awful regime was a good idea. And recorded it on Insta o Tik Tok, can´t remember which, which I am sure those awful regime men police closely. He was arrested, accused of spying, and sentenced to I can´t remember how many years in jail. It took the Spanish government 2 years to get him released. God knows what they wanted in exchange. I don´t think we were ever told. Idiots abound it seems. That said, I wouldn´t wish Iranian prisons on anyone.

I think she has said that she thought her duel Iranian citizenship would mean she was ok.

Not a particularly ludicrous assumption, and one she paid a high price for making.

They are still British citizens and entitled to the protection of British consulate/embassy services. Even if they live on top of Everest for the last 50 years.

Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Having said that it seems a steep sentence

Whatever they may be guilty of - arrogance, foolishness, complacency, naïveté - a reasonable punishment is not ten years in prison. Since they don’t deserve what is an undoubtedly brutal and sadistic outcome, yes, I do feel sorry for them.

It’s the same in principle as the US student who died after being detained in North Korea for nicking a flag. Bloody stupid thing to do quite clearly, but what happened to him was an atrocity.

I’ll save any negative judgment in relation to this case for the Iranian government - and to say I think the thread is pretty tasteless.

Gloriia all heart as usual.

Describing a visit to family as ‘a little trip’ is utterly patronising.

It’s also rewriting history somewhat. Having known people who come from politically volatile parts of the world, I’ve observed that for many it’s quite normal for them to take some risk in going home and will only give that up when the stakes get too high. Nazanin was imprisoned in a period during which tourism to Iran wasn’t off the table (I know several people who visited around this time and they were not thrill seekers or fools) and while there were more risks for dual nationals, there certainly hadn’t been the series of imprisonments we have seen since.

The thing is they knew the risks, they just thought it wouldn't happen to them. But it did so that's that.

There are so many places I'd love to see but not enough to risk myself or my liberty. There's the rest of the world after all.

The Iranian regime does not recognise dual citizenship. She'd have known that, she took a big risk and whilst it was of course very distresing for her dh and dc that she was detained I've no idea why she didn't imagine the consequences.

'a reasonable punishment is not ten years in prison'

We're talking about Iran. They don't do 'reasonable punishments'.

I have been there, individuals are mostly very nice. Officials don't do 'reasonable' about much at all.
Where were they intending to go after Iran?
Afghanistan is next door on a northern route. . . . .Not a good place to go either. South it would be via Baluchistan and Pakistan. All very restricting for women these days.