International
British couple detained in Iran after adventure trip goes awry
By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter), Brock Koller (senior producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)
- Two British citizens are in custody in Iran. They were on their motorcycles in the Middle East, conducting research on what it’s like to lead a good life no matter where you are from when they ventured into Iran and were detained.
- The Iranian government claims they were conducting intelligence work for hostile governments and is charging them with espionage.
- The British government is now involved in the case, but what happens from here remains unknown.
Full Story
Two British citizens are in custody in Iran, facing espionage charges after an adventure on their motorcycles turned into an international incident. Craig and Lindsay Foreman crossed the Iranian border with Armenia in late December 2024 and were hoping to make it to Pakistan. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard detained them in early January in the city of Kerman, where they are currently being held.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 35%
Center 27%
Right 38%
Bias Summary
- Two British nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, have been charged with espionage in Iran, according to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency.
- The couple was accused of gathering information in various provinces while on a round-the-world motorbike trip, ignoring travel warnings.
- Iranian authorities connected them to Western intelligence services during their travels.
- The U.K. Foreign Office expressed deep concern over the charges against the Foremans and is providing consular assistance.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran for allegedly gathering information while traveling as tourists, according to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency.
- Craig and Lindsay Foreman's family is working with authorities to ensure their wellbeing and safe return after their arrest during a motorcycle trip.
- Iran's authorities claim that the couple entered as tourists but collected information under the guise of research work, affecting their control over security charges.
- Human rights groups allege that Iran uses detentions to pressure Western nations for concessions, labeling such actions as hostage diplomacy.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
present the charges against Craig and Lindsay Foreman in a stark, sensationalized manner, emphasizing their alleged espionage amidst a motorbike trip, which conveys a narrative of criminality.
Media outlets on the right
emphasize their portrayal as tourists who gathered information under the guise of research, framing the incident within a broader concision of Iran’s hostage diplomacy.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
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Left
Left
+0
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Untracked Bias
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80 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
80
Leaning Left
21
Center
16
Leaning Right
23
Last Updated
1 month ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
What is the couple accused of doing while in Iran?
According to a statement from the country’s judiciary, the individuals entered the country under the guise that they were tourists and were doing research work. However, the Iranian government contends the Foremans were conducting intelligence work for covert institutions of Western countries that are hostile to Iran.
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Why were they in Iran in the first place?
The Independent said the couple are in their 50s and had set out on their motorcycles on a psychology research project to find out what constitutes having a good life. Their ultimate goal was to make it to Australia.
Before the trip, Lindsay Foreman had posted on social media that they believe most people in the world are good, kind, humans no matter where they live. She came up with the idea for the excursion after attending a conference on positive psychology. The couple then secured their motorcycle licenses in August of last year. She also posted that the couple was aware of the risks.
Has the British government taken any action on their behalf?
The British Foreign Office said on Tuesday, Feb. 18, that it is deeply concerned by the reports of their detainment and has raised the Foreman case directly with the Iranian government.
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What happens from here?
Human rights groups have accused Iran of taking Westerners hostage and using those arrests as leverage to win concessions from other countries. Iran has denied those accusations, but it is unclear what will happen to the British couple at this time.
[Craig]
TWO BRITISH CITIZENS ARE IN-CUSTODY IN IRAN — FACING ESPIONAGE CHARGES AFTER AN ADVENTURE ON THEIR MOTORCYCLES, HAS NOW TURNED INTO AN INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT. CRAIG AND LINDSAY FOREMAN CROSSED THE IRANIAN BORDER WITH ARMENIA IN LATE DECEMBER AND WERE HOPING TO MAKE IT TO PAKISTAN. THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD DETAINED THEM IN EARLY JANUARY IN THE CITY OF KERMAN, WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING HELD.
ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE COUNTRY’S JUDICIARY, QUOTE “ THE INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED ENTERED THE COUNTRY UNDER THE GUISE OF TOURISTS AND,(PAUSE) UNDER THE GUISE OF RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION WORK, HAVE COLLECTED INFORMATION IN SEVERAL PROVINCES OF THE COUNTRY. “
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT FURTHER ALLEGES THAT THE FOREMANS WERE DOING INTELLIGENCE WORK FOR COVERT INSTITUTIONS OF WESTERN COUNTRIES THAT ARE HOSTILE TO IRAN.
THE WEBSITE “THE INDEPENDENT” SAYS THE COUPLE ARE IN THEIR 50’S AND HAD SET OUT ON THEIR MOTORCYCLES, ON A PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT TO FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE “ A GOOD LIFE”. THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO MAKE IT TO AUSTRALIA.
LINDSAY FOREMAN HAD POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE THE TRIP THAT QUOTE “ WE BELIEVE THAT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, MOST PEOPLE ARE GOOD, KIND HUMANS STRIVING FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE. “ SHE SAYS THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR A ** ROUND-THE-WORLD TRIP** AT A CONFERENCE ON POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY. THE COUPLE THEN GOT THEIR MOTORCYCLE LICENSES IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
SHE POSTED THAT “FROM THE VAST DESERTS OF IRAN TO THE TOWERING PEAKS OF PAKISTAN, WE HOPE TO SHARE THE BEAUTY, HOSPITALITY AND HUMANITY THAT OFTEN GO UNNOTICED. “ LINDSAY FOREMAN ALSO SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE RISKS.
THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE SAID THIS WEEK IT IS DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THE REPORTS OF THEIR DETAINMENT, AND THE FOREIGN OFFICE HAS RAISED THE FOREMAN’S CASE DIRECTLY WITH THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT. IT ALSO SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS HAVE ACCUSED IRAN OF TAKING WESTERNERS HOSTAGE AND USING THOSE ARRESTS AS LEVERAGE TO WIN CONCESSIONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. IRAN HAS DENIED THOSE ACCUSATIONS BUT IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE BRITISH COUPLE FROM HERE. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 35%
Center 27%
Right 38%
Bias Summary
- Two British nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, have been charged with espionage in Iran, according to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency.
- The couple was accused of gathering information in various provinces while on a round-the-world motorbike trip, ignoring travel warnings.
- Iranian authorities connected them to Western intelligence services during their travels.
- The U.K. Foreign Office expressed deep concern over the charges against the Foremans and is providing consular assistance.
- No summary available because of a lack of coverage.
- Two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran for allegedly gathering information while traveling as tourists, according to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency.
- Craig and Lindsay Foreman's family is working with authorities to ensure their wellbeing and safe return after their arrest during a motorcycle trip.
- Iran's authorities claim that the couple entered as tourists but collected information under the guise of research work, affecting their control over security charges.
- Human rights groups allege that Iran uses detentions to pressure Western nations for concessions, labeling such actions as hostage diplomacy.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
present the charges against Craig and Lindsay Foreman in a stark, sensationalized manner, emphasizing their alleged espionage amidst a motorbike trip, which conveys a narrative of criminality.
Media outlets on the right
emphasize their portrayal as tourists who gathered information under the guise of research, framing the incident within a broader concision of Iran’s hostage diplomacy.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Click to close
80 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
80
Leaning Left
21
Center
16
Leaning Right
23
Last Updated
1 month ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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