Middle East and North Africa

Baroness O'Loan Excerpts

Wednesday 7th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We do not talk about proscription before we do it. As I explained in my response to the Front Benches earlier, we are careful of what we say. That is not because we think that people should not have the right to protest and be free to do so—and we do not agree with many of the things that they say when they do—but because we want to make sure that nothing this Government say puts at risk the lives of people protesting and making their case as they should. We do not want to do anything that would make their predicament even worse, because it is the position of the regime in Iran that we are somehow encouraging, facilitating, enabling and encouraging those protests. Clearly, we are not. These are very firmly the views of the people of Iran, who are choosing to take the steps that they are taking. We are mindful of what we say, and I think it is right that we are.

[Baroness O’Loan (CB)]

My Lords, I thank Minister for the condemnation of the activities of the current regime in Iran. Despite what she has just said, will His Majesty’s Government condemn attacks by the regime on the hospital in Ilam and, yesterday, on Sina Hospital in Tehran, and the abduction of wounded people seeking help in those hospitals? Can they consider again the policy and perhaps demand the immediate release of all those arrested during the protests? How will His Majesty’s Government support the Iranian people and their organised resistance in the ongoing struggle for justice, human rights and freedom? Do His Majesty’s Government recognise the right of Iranians to bring about real change by establishing a democratic republic, as articulated in the NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan? In the light of the fact that there have been some 2,500 executions in Iran in recent times, is it not time for a change of policy and a more assertive and condemnatory policy?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It is right that the people of Iran should be free to live their lives as they wish and to have a Government who reflect their wishes, and that women, in particular, in Iran should be free to live and to conduct their lives in the way that they want. There is no ambiguity about the UK Government’s position on any of these things. We support the people of Iran in their endeavours to bring about the open, free society that we would all wish to see.