ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran's Supreme Court has formally charged two British citizens, detained since January, with espionage, accusing them of entering the country under the pretext of tourism to gather information, read a statement by the Iranian judiciary’s media office on Tuesday.
Mizan further quoted the Iranian judiciary spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, as stating that the two detained British nationals “entered Iran under the guise of tourists” and “the pretext of [conducting] research and scientific activities.” He alleged that the couple had “collected information in several [Iranian] provinces” before being arrested by Iranian intelligence services in the southeastern Kerman province.
On Saturday, the family of the two detained British citizens identified them as Craig and Lindsay Foreman. Social media posts shared by the couple in January, documented their travels, showing they had entered Iran from Armenia after visiting Turkey and Georgia.
In a December interview with the Spanish news outlet, Sur, Lindsay Foreman said she was conducting her PhD studies in positive psychology and surveying people in different countries.Jahangir’s Tuesday statement alleged that the Foremans were “collaborating with front organizations affiliated with the intelligence services of hostile and Western countries,” and that their connections to “several institutions linked to [foreign] intelligence services had been confirmed.”
Importantly, Lindsay Foreman had detailed in a late December Facebook post, that she and her husband were keen on visiting Iran “despite warnings from family members and the British government.” She explained that the couple downplayed the risks “no matter where they come from, most people are good,” adding that she wanted “to give them a voice.”
According to Lindsay Foreman, the London authorities had explained to the couple that “British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, detention or questioning” in Iran. The British government reportedly told them that “having a British passport or connections to the United Kingdom can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you.”
The Kerman judiciary on Wednesday reported that the British ambassador met with the “two detained British security defendants.”
Importantly, Iran has been accused of engaging in “hostage diplomacy,” detaining foreign nationals on charges such as espionage as leverage on the international stage.
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