A British couple detained in Iran on espionage charges have lost their final appeal, diplomatic sources confirmed on Tuesday, as the Foreign Office intensifies efforts to secure their release through high-level talks. The couple, whose identities remain protected under reporting restrictions, were sentenced to 10 years in Evin prison in 2022 after being convicted of spying, claims they have consistently denied.
The Supreme Court in Tehran rejected the appeal on Monday, exhausting all domestic legal remedies and leaving their fate in the hands of political negotiation. Foreign Office officials have described the ruling as a “serious setback” but maintain that diplomatic channels remain open.
Sources indicate that the British ambassador to Iran, Simon Shercliff, has held multiple meetings with Iranian counterparts over the past week, leveraging the UK’s role in the Vienna nuclear talks as a bargaining chip. The strategy reflects a broader shift in British diplomacy, moving from private representations to public pressure, including a coordinated statement with EU allies condemning Iran’s judicial process.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have called the trial “a sham” and urged the UK government to link the couple’s freedom to broader sanctions relief. However, analysts caution that such linkage risks emboldening Tehran’s hostage diplomacy, a tactic Iran has used to extract concessions in previous detentions of foreign nationals.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rebuffed calls for clemency, stating that judicial independence precludes political interference. The case has strained already fragile UK-Iran relations, which were further complicated by the UK’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar in 2022.
The couple’s legal team has confirmed they will not pursue further appeals, instead pinning hopes on a presidential pardon or exchange deal. Prison conditions remain a concern, with reports of solitary confinement and restricted access to consular visits. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We continue to make the strongest representations to the Iranian government. Our priority is the welfare of the British nationals.”
