The situation regarding a British couple detained in Iran has raised significant alarm among their family members, who expressed their deep concern on Saturday. Efforts are ongoing to ensure the couple’s safe return home.

Reports from Iran’s official news agency confirmed on Wednesday that the couple is being held in Kerman, a city located in southern Iran, facing charges related to security. While the news agency did not disclose their names or specific circumstances surrounding their detention, a statement from their family, released via the U.K. Foreign Office, identified them as Craig and Lindsay Foreman.

The Foremans were reportedly on a global motorcycle journey when they were taken into custody in January. According to British media, they entered Iran from Armenia on December 30 and were intending to travel to Pakistan next.

In a statement, the family expressed the distress caused by this unexpected situation, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring the couple’s safety during this challenging period. They are collaborating with U.K. officials to navigate the complex circumstances of the case. The family underscored their unity in striving for the couple’s safe return.

Previous reports indicate that the U.K. ambassador had met with the detained couple, and the U.K. Foreign Office confirmed it is providing consular support to them during this ordeal.

Historically, Iran has been known to detain Western nationals on various security-related charges, raising suspicions that such actions are often politically motivated. Critics argue that the Iranian government uses Western detainees as leverage in negotiations. Iran has consistently denied these allegations.

A notable case was the release of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in 2022, who spent more than five years in prison after being convicted of attempting to overthrow Iran’s government, a charge that she and her supporters fiercely contested.