Iran extends Craig Foreman's prison term by two years

Craig Foreman’s punishment in Tehran has been extended by two years, after Iranian authorities told his family the extra term was imposed for talking to the media from his cell in Evin prison. The move deepens a case that has already left the British couple in separate wings of one of Iran’s most feared prisons, cut off from regular contact and held on espionage charges they deny.

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both from East Sussex, were arrested in January 2025 while crossing Iran on an around-the-world motorcycle trip. In February 2026, Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced each of them to 10 years in prison, and the couple later lost their appeal against that ruling in early June 2026. Their family said Craig Foreman also sent a voice message from prison describing conditions as a “war zone” and accusing the British government of failing to defend their innocence.

The latest extension lands in a setting long condemned for abuse and coercion. Human rights groups have criticized Evin prison for alleged torture and inhumane treatment, and reports in June said the Foremans had begun hunger strikes after being denied phone calls, visits with each other and meetings with their lawyer. Keeping Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman in separate wings has added another barrier to any private communication, even as their son, Joe Bennett, has spoken publicly about their plight.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has called the original 10-year sentence “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable” and said the UK would pursue the case relentlessly. For Britain, the options are limited to diplomatic pressure, repeated public calls for release and efforts by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to keep contact with the family and Iranian authorities. Tehran controls the court process, the prison regime and access to lawyers, leaving the government with little leverage beyond persistence.

The extension is a stark warning for foreign nationals moving through states that treat detainees as bargaining chips. In this case, a motorcycle journey that began in East Sussex ended with a prolonged detention, a failed appeal and a new punishment that tightens the vice around a couple already cut off from each other and from normal legal protection.