Two Britons Arrested in Iran Amid Diplomatic Tensions and Western Pressure
February 13, 2025
The detained individuals, referred to as 'suspects,' remain unidentified, and details regarding their detention timeline and location are not specified.
Two British nationals have been arrested in Iran and have met with UK ambassador Hugo Shorter in Kerman province.
The UK Foreign Office has not commented on this recent development amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with Iran.
These detentions occur alongside the fact that several other European nationals are currently held in custody in Iran, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the country and Western governments.
Human rights groups allege that detainees are often held as leverage, released only when Iran gains something in return.
The release of British-Iranian citizens Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori in 2022 was linked to a long-standing debt owed by the UK to Iran.
Iran is pressuring the UK and European powers to distance themselves from US-imposed economic sanctions to facilitate talks on its nuclear program.
The body of Jamshid Sharmehed, an Iranian-German activist executed in November 2024, has been returned to Germany after diplomatic negotiations.
Iran has a pattern of detaining Western nationals on security charges, which some believe are used as leverage in negotiations, a claim that Iran denies.
Historically, Iran has arrested numerous dual nationals and foreigners on espionage and national security charges, with at least 15 cases linked to the UK.
The situation follows the January 2023 execution of British-Iranian dual citizen Alireza Akbari, which drew strong condemnation from Western nations, including the UK.
This recent detention coincides with the appointment of a new Iranian ambassador to London, Seyyed Ali Mousavi, amid ongoing tensions in Iran's domestic security climate.
Summary based on 7 sources
Get a daily email with more World News stories
Sources

BBC News • Feb 13, 2025
Two British nationals detained in Iran
The Guardian • Feb 13, 2025
Two British nationals arrested in Iran on ‘security’ allegations, say state media
BBC News • Feb 13, 2025
Two British nationals detained in Iran
The Independent • Feb 13, 2025
Two British citizens detained in Iran