Lindsay and Craig Foreman in Iran: the motorcycle trip that turned into a diplomatic nightmare
There’s a special kind of optimism that lives in long-distance riders. The kind that says, “We’ll sort it on the road,” while pointing two loaded bikes at the horizon and trusting the map, the weather, and human decency to play nicely.
For British motorcycle travellers Lindsay and Craig Foreman, that optimism has collided head-on with one of the harshest realities of overland travel: geopolitics doesn’t care how good your intentions are, how polite you are at borders, or how carefully you packed your puncture kit.
The couple, from East Sussex, were detained in Iran in early January 2025 while travelling through the country on a round-the-world motorcycle journey. They were later charged with espionage, which they deny.
This is the story so far, what’s known (and what isn’t), and the hard-edged travel lesson the UK Foreign Office has been shouting for years: Iran is not a “bold detour” destination for British nationals right now.
What happened to the Foremans?
According to multiple reports, Lindsay and Craig entered Iran from Armenia around late December 2024 and were detained in early January 2025. Iran’s judiciary-linked media has alleged they were gathering information in multiple locations under the guise of tourism and research, and authorities have framed the case as a national security matter.
The UK government has said it is providing consular assistance and has raised the case with Iranian authorities. Early coverage also reported that the British ambassador to Iran met them while they were held in Kerman province.
From the outside looking in, the most brutal part is the lack of clarity. Timelines blur. Legal processes are opaque. Access to independent representation is limited. And when cases are treated as “security” issues, normal expectations of due process can evaporate.
The latest updates: petitions, prison conditions, and growing pressure
Fast-forward to early January 2026 and the story hasn’t faded. It’s intensified.
UK media reports say the Foremans’ family and supporters have been pressing the British government to do more, including delivering a petition to Downing Street with around 70,000 signatures.
Their son, Joe Bennett, has spoken publicly about the toll the detention is taking and criticised what he sees as a passive approach. Reports include distressing descriptions of prison conditions and health concerns.
It’s important to be precise here: the public only sees fragments, and different outlets report different levels of detail. But the direction of travel is clear. This isn’t a short “misunderstanding at the checkpoint.” It’s a prolonged detention in a country where foreign nationals can be caught in the undertow of bigger political currents.
Why Iran is uniquely high risk for British travellers
Here’s the part many riders don’t want to hear, because it ruins the romance of the route line on the map.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) currently advises against all travel to Iran. The travel advice page was updated 9 January 2026 and reiterates that British nationals face a very high risk of arrest, questioning or detention, and that even having a British passport or UK connections “can be reason enough” for Iranian authorities to detain you.
That wording matters. It’s not “avoid certain border areas” or “exercise caution.” It’s a full, bright-red warning.
The same FCDO update also highlights protests, violence, arrests of protesters, severe limits on internet access, and disruption including flight cancellations. In other words: even if you’re not looking for trouble, you can stumble into it, and you may not be able to communicate your way out.
And then there’s the most overlooked line in the whole thing, the one that should make every overlander sit up straight:
UK government support is “extremely limited” in Iran, and “no face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency.”
That is not a small caveat. That is the difference between “someone can visit you, advocate for you, help you navigate the system” and “you are largely on your own.”
The insurance trap riders forget about
If you only remember one practical takeaway, make it this:
The FCDO states your travel insurance “could be invalidated” if you travel against its advice.
For bikers, insurance isn’t just about a pranged pannier and a recovery truck. It’s medical evacuation, emergency flights, legal support, accommodation during delays, and a financial lifeline when plans collapse. If you’re overlanding and you void your cover by entering a “do not travel” country, you can be left exposed in ways that are genuinely life-changing.
The uncomfortable truth for adventure riders
Motorcycle travel culture has a habit of turning risk into a badge. “Hard routes” become bragging rights. Border drama becomes pub-story currency. And yes, there’s a difference between “challenging” and “reckless,” but social media often blurs it.
Iran has long been an alluring blank space on the overland map: huge landscapes, legendary hospitality (as many travellers attest), and a sense of riding somewhere most people only see in headlines. The problem is that hospitality from ordinary people doesn’t cancel out the risk posed by state systems, shifting politics, and security dynamics.
The Foremans’ case is a harsh example of what the FCDO has been warning: British nationals can face detention risk regardless of intent.
So what should riders do instead?
If you’re planning an overland route toward Central Asia or beyond, take this as a sober route-planning moment, not a fearmongering one.
Check official travel advice before you commit to a country, and sign up for updates. The FCDO pages change quickly, and the Iran advice specifically notes a fragile political situation with the potential to deteriorate without warning.
If a destination is listed as “advise against all travel,” treat it like a closed road with a missing bridge. Not because you lack courage, but because courage doesn’t negotiate prison doors.
The Motorbike Mad view
Adventure riding is about freedom. But the irony is, the most “free” choice you can make is often the disciplined one: selecting routes where your government can actually help you if things go sideways, where your insurance still means something, and where a bad day doesn’t become a year.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman set out on a journey powered by the same spirit that fuels so many of us: curiosity, momentum, and belief in the road. Now they’ve become a cautionary tale that every rider planning big miles needs to read twice.
Because the world is still out there. The ride is still waiting. But some borders right now aren’t adventure. They’re a one-way bet.