Iran charged a British couple with espionage last month after they were arrested in the southeastern city of Kerman during their global motorcycle trip.

Tehran accused Craig and Lindsay Foreman of collecting information in several parts of the country while claiming to be tourists.

“These individuals were cooperating with covert institutions related to the intelligence services of hostile and Western countries under the guise of research and investigation activities,” Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told the official Mizan news agency.

“These individuals were monitored with the cooperation of security agencies and were arrested by the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] intelligence organization of Kerman province,” Mr. Jahangir said.

The couple, both 52, acknowledged on social media that they were defying the recommendations of family, friends and the British government when they crossed into Iran in late December.

“We believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life,” Ms. Foreman wrote in a Facebook post. “Yes, we’re aware of the risks. But we also know the reward of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.”

The website of the U.K. Embassy in Tehran posted an advisory warning against all travel to Iran, noting that British and British-Iranian nationals face a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention.”

“Having a British passport or connections to the U.K. can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you,” the embassy warned.

Iranian officials said they had the British couple under surveillance before their arrest. The chief justice of Kerman province, Ebrahim Hamidi, said Tuesday that an investigation had been launched into their alleged links to foreign intelligence services, according to the official Islamic Revolutionary News Agency.

The U.K.’s ambassador to Iran, Hugo Shorter, met with the detained couple last week.

“This meeting took place at the request of the British ambassador and with the approval of the judicial authority and in coordination with the security apparatus,” Mr. Hamidi said.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.