Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the consequences for his policies of the continued (a) use of violence and (b) persecution by the Iranian Government towards (i) women protesters and (ii) their supporters.

The repeated violations of basic human rights committed by the Iranian regime against its own citizens is abhorrent. Working with our international partners, the UK secured the removal of Iran from the UN Commission on the Support of Women on 14 December, and the establishment of a UN investigation into the regime's response to protests at the Human Rights Council on 24 November. On 9 December, the UK implemented a third round of human rights sanctions against individuals involved in the suppression of protests, bringing the total to over 40 individuals and one entity since the protests began. We will continue to urge Iran to improve its human rights record at all appropriate opportunities, including on women and girls, and to work with international partners to ensure accountability.