The son of a British couple imprisoned in Iran for over a year is turning to President Donald Trump, as the ongoing war there has made their situation more difficult.
“Conditions have grown much worse over the past couple of weeks—understandably, given the war’s complexities,” Joe Bennett told [outlet] on Saturday.
He noted that Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, where his parents are held, was already at maximum capacity, and a recent wave of protesters has led to dangerously overcrowded conditions.
“Food is hard to come by,” he added. “We’re concerned about whether they’ll get more food supplies. The conditions are unsanitary—they’ve described it as ‘hell on Earth.’”
“With the ongoing bombings and activity there right now, both we and they are even more anxious,” he said.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested by Iranian authorities in January 2025 during a round-the-world motorcycle trip and later sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges.
Bennett addressed the McCain Institute’s U.S.-UK Transatlantic Conference on Hostage-Taking and Arbitrary Detention in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where he criticized British leaders—particularly Prime Minister Keir Starmer—for their “non-existent” support for his parents, according to BBC News.
“My clear message to the U.K. government and Starmer is to stop treating this as just a consular issue,” Bennett told [outlet]. “That excuse went out the window when they were sentenced to 10 years for espionage, accused of working as spies for Israel’s Mossad and the U.K. government.”
“We haven’t seen any leadership from Keir Starmer,” Bennett continued. “Since their sentencing, he hasn’t spoken out to condemn this fake legal process or the mistreatment of U.K. citizens—something he should be doing.”
Starmer’s silence has left Bennett’s family feeling “let down,” he said. “There was—and still is—an opportunity for him to do the right thing.”
Bennett emphasized that his parents’ detention and conviction “is hostage-taking.”
“This isn’t just a U.K. issue—it impacts the U.S. and all of Western civilization,” Bennett added. “Innocent people are being targeted and used as political leverage.”
He also called on Trump to be precise with any strikes on Iran and to remember that British and American citizens are being held in Evin Prison.
“I have two requests for Mr. Trump,” Bennett told [outlet]. “First, prioritize safety—missiles hit Evin last June and have come very close since. I want him to be precise so Evin isn’t targeted. Second, don’t forget that my parents and others are there.”
He pointed out that, along with his parents, American citizens are also imprisoned at Evin.
“This is a humanitarian plea from a son asking for his mother’s freedom,” he said.