The British Foreign Office is facing mounting pressure after reports emerged that a UK couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, are being denied essential medical care and supplies while detained in Iran. The East Sussex pair's desperate situation has sparked alarm among their family, who fear for their well-being as the couple continues its hunger strike.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana), Lindsay Foreman has suffered a significant weight loss of over 14kg and is experiencing severe vertigo, tremors, and profound physical weakness, leaving her in a 'dangerously weak' state. Her husband, Craig Foreman, who began his hunger strike after phone access was reportedly cut off, has lost approximately 16kg.
The family has expressed outrage that medication, reading glasses, books, and basic hygiene products sent to the couple by the British Embassy in Tehran have been withheld. This, they claim, is a 'direct violation of a formal guarantee previously given to the British ambassador' and are urging the UK government to 'act without delay' to secure immediate medical access and supplies, alongside their ultimate release.
A heartfelt letter from the family, published on Tuesday, implores the couple to 'remember that you are loved by so many people', highlighting the depth of family concern. The Foremans remain unable to contact their children or other loved ones, exacerbating the distress felt by those closest to them.
Joe Bennett, Lindsay's son from Kent, is due to visit Parliament on Wednesday to engage with MPs about his parents' plight. He stresses that the couple are 'starving themselves because every other route has been closed to them', underscoring their desperation. The detention of the Foremen is widely seen as a tactic by the Iranian government to gain leverage over the UK, fuelling tensions between the two nations.