The son of British nationals arrested in Iran last year has made an urgent plea for a prisoner exchange to secure his parents’ freedom after they were moved to solitary confinement last week. James Whitmore, 34, told this newspaper that his parents, Richard and Eleanor Whitmore, have been held without trial since their detention in Tehran on March 12, 2023, on espionage-related charges.

Whitmore disclosed that his parents began a hunger strike two days ago, rejecting prison food in protest against what he called “arbitrary detention and denial of due process.” Their condition has raised alarm among diplomats and human rights groups monitoring the case.

Family sources say the couple’s mental and physical health has declined sharply, with Eleanor suffering from chronic hypertension and Richard exhibiting signs of severe stress. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed it is “engaging at the highest levels” but declined to comment on specific diplomatic strategies.

Whitmore’s campaign gains momentum as UK lawmakers from across the political spectrum have called for an immediate resolution. Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said in a statement, “The government must explore every diplomatic avenue, including prisoner exchanges, to bring British citizens home safely.”

Iran’s judiciary has not publicly responded to the exchange proposal, but diplomats familiar with the case say Tehran often uses foreign detainees as bargaining chips in broader geopolitical negotiations. The Whitmores’ case mirrors several recent incidents involving dual nationals held in Iran, including the 2022 detention of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Despite the growing pressure, no formal offer of exchange has been tabled. Whitmore says he is prepared to escalate the campaign, including public protests outside the Iranian Embassy in London. “My parents are not criminals—they are being used as pawns,” he said. “It’s time to trade something of value to bring them home.”