In late February, Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir stated that the couple had been arrested by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence agents and were accused of “espionage.” The family rejects the allegation.

On February 13, 2025, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Kerman Province announced in a statement that Hugo Shorter, the British ambassador to Iran, met with the two security detainees at the prosecutor’s office in the provincial capital.

The 52-year-old couple were detained in Kerman about six months ago. They had entered Iran on a round-the-world motorcycle trip and intended to travel on to Pakistan after a few days.

Iranian authorities have arrested numerous foreign nationals in recent years on charges such as espionage or cooperating with hostile states. While some have been released after prolonged negotiations, human-rights organizations and several Western governments accuse Tehran of using these detentions as political leverage—an accusation Iranian officials consistently deny.