Bomb damage at iran's evin prison raises fears for detained britons, family says

Evin Prison Blast in Iran Raises Safety Concerns for Detained Britons

British Couple Endure Explosions and Uncertainty in Evin Prison

By Ben Makori and Sam Tabahriti

Explosions Shake Evin Prison Amid Intensifying Conflict

LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - A British couple jailed in Iran have described explosions shaking Evin prison where they are being held and damage to their wing as the conflict intensifies around Tehran, their son told Reuters after speaking to them on Tuesday.

Joe Bennett, who is in regular contact with his mother, Lindsay Foreman, has reported worsening conditions inside the facility as bombing continues in the capital for a fourth day.

Background: Arrest and Sentencing of the Foremans

Lindsay and Craig Foreman were sentenced to 10 years in Iran on spying charges after Iran accused them of gathering information in several parts of the country. The couple, arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran on a global motorcycle journey, have denied the charges.

Firsthand Accounts from Inside the Prison

"They're hearing the jets going over. They're hearing the bombs hitting surrounding areas outside of Evin," Bennett said. "One of the bombs was so close to the prison that it's actually... punctured the windows and the ceiling."

He said his mother and her husband, Craig Foreman, were scared and described the atmosphere in the prison as increasingly tense, with more detainees being brought in after protests in the city.

Communication Difficulties and Safety Fears

"You're worried for their safety - it's a genuine threat to their lives because the country is at war," Bennett said, adding that contact was limited to short calls from a communal landline that prisoners wait in line to use.

Broader Concerns for Foreign Detainees

His warning comes as advocates estimate at least six U.S. citizens or permanent residents are being detained in Iran while possibly thousands of dual U.S.-Iranian nationals remain in the country, raising fears they could be used as bargaining chips in the conflict.

Fears About Access to Food, Water, and Support

Uncertainty Over Basic Supplies

The Foremans' family also fear for the couple's access to basic supplies inside Evin, with the prison shop still open but uncertainty over how long food and water will last as the conflict disrupts staffing and deliveries.

British Government Response

Bennett said the British government had been good at keeping in touch with the family but that there had been no consular access for three months and support had been "minimal", with no "plan, strategy" to secure the couple's release.

"The only support that matters to us is their plan to get my parents home," he said.

(Writing by Sam TabahritiEditing by Gareth Jones)