Iran: Protests

Lord Hannay of Chiswick Excerpts

Monday 12th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[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.