Iran: Protests
Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) what assessment they have made of the treatment of protesters in Iran, and (2) how they are engaging with the government of the United States on proposed responses to ensure that these are in accordance with international law.
Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Lab)
My Lords, I should declare that I am the director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, which has been monitoring human rights abuses in Iran for many years.
A grave human rights crisis is unfolding in Iran. As many noble Lords will know, a nationwide uprising has been taking place in 111 cities across Iran. This is not confined to Tehran, or to its students or young women; it is across all classes and all the peoples of Iran. The regime is using live ammunition against unarmed citizens. There are mass arrests as well as a total internet and telecommunications blackout. Bodies are piling up in morgues, but families cannot locate their loved ones. Hospitals are overwhelmed and even Starlink connectivity is reported to be jammed. What assessment have the Government made of the treatment of protesters in Iran? What do they feel that they can do, and how are they engaging with the Government of the United States on proposed responses to ensure that those are in accordance with international law? The people of Iran want democracy; they do not want outside entities to bring about regime change.
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)
I am grateful to my noble friend for her Question and commend her for her many years of work and dedication to this issue, and to the people of Iran. We too are deeply concerned about the use of violence against protesters and strongly condemn the killing of protesters. Iranians must be able to exercise their right to peaceful protest without fear or reprisal, and we urge Iran to immediately restore access to the internet and communications. With regards to engagement with the United States, its policy towards Iran is, obviously, a matter for the US Government. The UK remains absolutely committed to international law and expects other countries to do the same. That is essential for global security and stability.
Lord Callanan (Con)
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her Question. I am sure that we are all watching the news reports with interest. Personally, I find it deeply humbling to watch the astonishing bravery of hundreds of thousands of ordinary Iranians in facing the guns and murderous tactics of that brutal regime. If they are arrested, they also now face execution. It is quite astonishing to watch their desire for freedom and democracy. Can I please ask the Minister two questions? First, what is being done to challenge the Iranian regime over the violence it is conducting? I know that we have diplomats in Tehran; what role are they playing, what reports is the Minister receiving back from them, and why has the Foreign Secretary not yet summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest at the brutality? Secondly, given the statements from President Trump, what discussions have taken place with the US Administration over their plans and their challenge to this brutal regime?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The UK is clear in its condemnation of the regime’s brutality towards protesters. For many different reasons, we fundamentally support the right of those who are bravely taking to the streets and showing enormous courage to make their case in the way that they wish. Communication with the Iranian regime is something that my friend the Foreign Secretary will be actively considering.
Lord Purvis of Tweed (LD)
My Lords, the murder of those people in Iran who wish simply to have a say in who governs them is utterly contemptible. There are early signs that these protests will become more widespread, but there are not early signs that there will be mass rebellions in the Iranian military. Is now not the time that we should proscribe as terrorist organisations all those bodies within Iran that are actively suppressing their own population, as well as putting UK national interests at risk? Secondly, and perversely, I have read that our ambassador has been summoned by Iranian Ministers to view the protests. Should we not summon the Iranian ambassador to ensure that there is no repression of Iranian nationals or any British interests here in the United Kingdom, and show that we are now willing rapidly to expand the human rights sanctions regime for all aspects of the Iranian Government that are carrying out these repressive actions?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
First, it is not correct that our ambassador in Tehran was summoned. They had a conversation when they attended the MFA for another purpose, but that is a very different situation from the one reported, which I think the noble Lord will have read. We do not comment about proscriptions ahead of time and we keep them under close review. However, I point noble Lords to the work done by Jonathan Hall and the suggestions that he made about proscription-like measures. The Government intend to implement these in due course.
Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB)
My Lords, has the Minister seen the report today about the killing of 23 year-old Rubina Aminian, a young woman who was shot at close range in the back of her head? She is one of thousands of pro-democracy protesters who have lost their lives already. They join the 1,922 who were executed by the regime last year alone, as well as Mahsa Amini, the young woman who died after discarding her hijab. It is not unreasonable to ask, as the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, did, whether we will take further action on the proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, what we can do to try to restore communications in Iran in any way, so that people can know what is going on? What advice are we giving to British nationals and dual citizens who are in Iran at present?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
One of the issues that we face is our current inability to get verifiable information out of Iran, because the regime has closed the internet. That makes life very difficult. However, the noble Lord is absolutely right to remind us of some of the horrors that we know about already. As more information emerges, we will want to respond. I have said what I have said about proscription and the IRGC, but we are concerned about British nationals and we have clear travel advice not to travel to Iran. There are British nationals there at the moment. Sadly, we know of some who are being wrongly held. The Foremans have even been charged with espionage, which is clearly wrong. They should be released immediately.
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester
My Lords, following on from that question, we have a number of Iranians in our churches in the diocese of Gloucester who are desperately trying to make contact with loved ones. What update can the Minister give the House about the support being given to Iranians in this country who are endeavouring to contact family and friends in Iran?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
That must be an incredibly difficult situation to be in. Communications are limited at best or non-existent, and the support that our team in Tehran is able to provide is incredibly limited. I can only imagine the concern, worry and heartache currently being felt by those with people who they love and care for in Iran.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy, has stated that the Iranians do not want outside interference to achieve regime change, but, without outside interference, how will the regime be changed?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
We are mindful of how we express our views, because of the reasons that I think are implied by the noble Lord’s question: the regime in Iran attempts to suggest that those who, of their own free will, take to the streets to protest are somehow foreign interference or meddling by external powers. They are clearly not. These are people who feel so strongly and who, at great risk and sometimes at the cost of their lives, are taking to the streets to call for the freedom that we so wish they could enjoy.
Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)
My Lords, as someone who served in Her Majesty’s embassy in Tehran many years ago, I express my anguish at what we are seeing being meted out to citizens of Iran who are simply using their rights to demonstrate. Does the Minister not think that one message that could be sent out is that, should they have a Government who are prepared to come into full conformity with all the international rules put forward in recent years—with regard to their nuclear programme and other aspects of their policy—we would respond positively, but we will not respond positively while what is going on before our eyes is as horrifying as it is?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
We stand proudly for freedom and human rights for the people of Iran, as the noble Lord suggests we should. The snap-back measures that he refers to took place as a last resort, and it would be very good for the people of Iran, and for regional and global stability, if we were able to have a more productive and positive relationship with a Government in Iran who represent the wishes of their people.
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)
We will hear from the Lib Dem Benches next.
Lord Hussain (LD)
My Lords, I agree with all those who have condemned the killing of innocent protesters in Iran, but will the Minister agree that the Iranian nation is very resilient? We have seen that the Iranian public know how to change their Governments. We saw the end of the King of Iran’s time, when the protesters were on the roads in their tens of thousands, and in the end they forced the King to leave the country. Whether we liked it or not, there was a change of Government. Similarly, now, when the people of Iran have had enough of this regime and want a change, they are capable of changing their Government on their own, and they do not need external invasion or plans for a change of regime to be practised in their country.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The noble Lord speaks from his own perspective of the people of Iran and their capability of changing the regime in their country. All I would say is that much has changed in the decades since the events that he alludes to. I hope that the people of Iran, through their own voice, their own protests and the things that they are able to do themselves, are able, sooner rather than later, to bring about a Government who represent them so that they are able to live in freedom and to live their lives in the way that we are all able to.
Lord Swire (Con)
We owe the security services our respect and thanks for thwarting over 20 assassination attempts on British soil against Iranians. This situation will not die down. I suspect that both sides will become more entrenched and the regime, if it is trying to hold on, is likely to become more violent towards those who oppose it. With that in mind, what can the Minister say to reassure those brave Iranians living in the United Kingdom that everything will be done to protect them from agents of a foreign power who may seek to carry out atrocities against them on British soil?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
That is such an important point. As the noble Lord reminds us, our security services have done amazing things in preventing so many attempts at attacks on this country. We will not stand for it; we will take whatever measures necessary to keep everybody in this country safe. The noble Lord is talking in particular about those who have drawn the attention of the Iranian regime, and we will continue to do that. Our security services are alive to the increased threat that they face at present, and they will continue.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, when I was First Sea Lord, I tended to send warships towards the sound of the guns. If things go wrong in Iran, as it looks as if they might well do, the whole of that region will be in great difficulty and trouble. We currently have one mine-hunter in Bahrain—that is all. Is there any intention to beef up our military presence there, bearing in mind the huge threat to the waterways should things go up in the air?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. I make a very clear point of never responding to that kind of hypothetical question; I shall not break that today, but I note what he says, in particular about Iran’s importance in terms of security in that part of the wo0rld.
Baroness Hoey (Non-Afl)
My Lords, we saw the appalling pictures of the security guards displaying the bodies thanks to the work of very brave Iranians getting the message out before all the social media was locked down. Does the Minister agree that social media has shown its importance in the first two weeks of these protests? Would she congratulate Elon Musk on being able to get Starlink into Iran so that some opportunity will be given for Iranians to get their message out?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Do you know what: the noble Baroness is right about this. Because we have been unable to gain access for journalists, citizen journalism has become all that we have, and the reports that have been able to be shared have been vital in alerting the world to what is going on. That can be said for very many of these precarious locations and places where it is difficult to gain access. The extent to which I am prepared to stand here and thank Elon Musk for anything is a different question, but I agree with her about the vital role that social media has played.
Lord Singh of Wimbledon (CB)
My Lords, to go back to the original Question, it is difficult to get President Trump’s support for international law when he is on record as saying that he does not agree with international law. Will the Minister try to ensure that no attempt is made to try to install the son of the disgraced ruler of Iran, whose behaviour led to the influx of the present regime, and instead give support to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Madame Rajavi? She has a 10-point plan for democratic rule, free from religious interference and with equal rights for women, which is very important when we remember that one of the present rulers in the current regime said that women have smaller brains than men.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
That is the noble Lord’s view of what should happen next in Iran. The UK Government’s view is that the future of Iran and its leadership should be firmly in the hands of the people of Iran.