Son of British woman detained in Iran calls government response 'criminal'

Joe Bennett, son of British citizen Lindsay Foreman detained in Iran, delivered a 70,000-signature petition to Downing Street on January 4, 2026, calling the UK government's response 'criminal'. Speaking at a London rally marking one year since his parents' arrest on January 3, 2025, he described his mother as 'malnourished' and sleeping on a metal frame in a jail infested with rats. Lindsay and Craig Foreman were accused of espionage during a four-day motorbike trip through Iran, a charge they deny. Bennett criticized the government for being 'passive' and not publicly defending them, despite consular support from the Foreign Office. Richard Ratcliffe, husband of former detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, attended, calling for stronger diplomatic action. The Foreign Office stated it remains 'deeply concerned' and continues direct engagement with Iranian authorities.