On December 14, cross-party MPs and Peers held a conference to announce a joint initiative that consolidates their recommendations to the UK Government to support the Iranian people and their popular uprising for human rights, freedom, and democratic change in Iran.
The conference highlighted the need on the part of the international community to end impunity for the regime leaders and discuss the next steps for the UK to deliver on its promise of holding to account the regime for its deadly crackdown against protesters and serious human rights violations following the recent decision by the UN Human Rights
Council to establish a new fact-finding mission to investigate the violent crackdown on protests in Iran.
Dr. Matthew Offord MP:
Iran is standing at a historical moment. We want to send a strong message of support for the people of Iran. Iran’s protests have been met with violence, and torture by the regime. I want to condemn the execution of Mohsen Shekari and Majid Reza Rahnavard.
“There is no doubt that the people of Iran seek to overthrow the regime. They seek a truly democratic state, by the people and for the people. The United Kingdom should stand with the people of Iran for a free and secular nation. The regime has announced a round of sanctions, which includes me.
We will continue to raise our voices in solidarity with the people of Iran. Our latest statement has the support of over 200 members of the parliament. We recognize the right of the people to defend themselves. The international community must take measures to stop the regime’s brutality. The UN Security Council must hold the regime to account for its crimes. We must recognize the NCRI and Mrs. Maryam Rajavi for their struggle against the regime.
We are very clear on the direction we want to see in the policy on Iran. With our resolution, the UK government will be in a stronger position to implement these goals.
Baroness Verma, Member of the House of Lords:
The state crackdown stops at nothing. The regime ignores age and location as its security forces attack even schools. In many instances, these attacks have led to the deaths of young people. There are too many to name in this session.
We do know the two young men who were hung in the past week. It demonstrates the cruelty of the regime. The prospect of change in Iran has never been this accessible before. It is time to recognize the right of the people to take matters into their own hands and overthrow the regime.
We are here as parliamentarians and our number is going to go up. We hope all parliamentarians from across the globe join us. This is the time to take control of one message: We are not going to accept this murderous regime.
The cross-party statement acknowledges the role of the PMOI is taking absolute risks every day to organize protests. We must support that. They have one mission: To make sure every single person in Iran has their rights respected and a voice.
It is strong gestures that coalesce other governments to take strong positions. There is a ten-point plan. It makes Iran a secular country, a democratic country, in which the rights of people of all backgrounds are respected. We need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Iran.
David Jones MP:
We must be doing something that we’ve been sanctioned by the regime. I’m proud of our statement in support of the Iranian people. I’m proud of our support for the uprising and organized resistance movement led by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi.
We are appalled by the execution of two brave young men, both 23 years old, Mohsen Shekari and Majid Reza Rahnavard, brutally hanged in the most appalling manner from cranes. I want to acknowledge the positive steps that our government has taken since the beginning of the uprising. The statement that we have presented today indicates the next steps forward for our government and other governments, which should be to recognize the NCRI, cut ties with the Iranian regime, begin talks with the Iranian regime, and call for the prosecution of the regime’s leaders.
The regime has lost all its credibility. The people are prepared to make sacrifices to realize their aspirations. There is a viable democratic alternative represented by Madam Rajavi and the NCRI to help put an end to the Iranian dictatorship and secure free and fair elections in Iran—in other words, to bring the freedoms that we take for granted in this country. This is the freedom that the people of Iran yearn for and Madam Rajavi struggles for.
The NCRI is not in competition with other Iranian organizations in reaching power. The NCRI’s goal is to establish freedom and fair elections, not to seize power as Mrs. Rajavi remarked.
As soon as our government and international allies recognize the NCRI, the sooner we will see victory for the people of Iran. And it will usher in an era of freedom and peace in the Middle East.
Steve McCabe, MP:
The human rights ushered in 1948 are as important today as they were then, and certainly for the people of Iran. Iran is a state where there is no freedom, no justice, and no respect for human rights. No one is held responsible for the massacre of 1988. One of the key players in that massacre is elevated to the presidency. It is a state where terrorizing youth and young women is acceptable, where the name of God is used to justify barbarity.
I’m in awe at the bravery of the Iranian people in face of what they have to endure day in and day out, and the dedication of the NCRI in standing up against this regime. I commend the measures that our government has taken. The sanctions the UK has put in place against the regime are important. But we have to go further. The foreign secretary should summon the charge affair of the regime and make it clear that if the regime continues to massacre and persecute its people, it is not welcome here.
I still harbor the hope that all of us here will see the kind of Iran that we want to see, in which the Iranian people are free and can be themselves and can use their power for good across the entire region. Everything we do should be driven toward that end, a free Iran with human rights at the heart of its constitution.
Lord Dholakia, member of the House of Lords:
Moderation from within the regime has proven to be wrong. Who is keeping the record of people being hanged in Iran? The regime should be brought to the criminal court and held accountably. We must make it clear that we will not tolerate this behavior. The government should implement the recommendations of this committee.
This statement is backed by over 200 members of the parliament. This is particularly important in regard to the issue of accountability of the regime for the killing of protesters and the massacre of prisoners.
The supreme leader has selected a mass murderer as president. We can not talk with people like that about democracy. He doesn’t understand democracy and human rights. We must hold the regime’s leaders accountable. Madam Rajavi is the democratic alternative to this regime. Iran will be free.
Bob Blackman-MP:
We’ve all been amazed by the courage of women in Iran to stand up to the mullahs’ regime, to put their lives at risk. The position of the regime is that it will stop at nothing. We’re not yet at the point where a revolution is coming. We’ve seen wonderful protests, but it hasn’t yet reached the point where a revolution is about to come.
Iranians are fed up with the dictatorship. They want to enjoy fundamental rights and freedom. Despite the repression, killings and murders, and torture, the regime has not been able to suppress the protests. The organized resistance in the NCRI represents the democratic interests of the people of Iran. The NCRI’s president-elect Madam Rajavi has a democratic plan that is supported internationally. It demonstrates there is a great will to achieve this. This is why Tehran is terrified of Madam Rajavi and the NCRI. They spend huge money to demonize and terrorize them.
We will not surrender to the oppression and terrorism of the IRGC and the regime in Iran. We remember rocket attacks against Ashraf in Iraq. We remember the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. The key player in that massacre is now the regime’s president. We remember the terror plot against the Free Iran rally in Paris. It was a terrorist diplomat that smuggled the bomb from Iran to Europe.
The regime is pointing us to the alternative, the NCRI. We have been consistent in our approach and will continue to be consistent. It is important to recognize the Iranian people’s right to defend themselves against the IRGC and the regime’s terrorist forces. The regime’s violent repression is nothing short of a declaration of war against the people of Iran. We must stand up for the brave people of Iran. We call on the UK government and the international community to recognize the Iranian people’s right to defend themselves. I will recommend the proscription of the IRGC by the UK government. We have proscribed Hamas and Hezbollah, two terrorist organizations that are supported by the IRGC. We should freeze the IRGC’s assets and use them to support the people of Iran.
The regime is planning another massacre under charges of waging war against God. Ending impunity must be a top priority for our government to prevent another massacre in the prisons of Iran.
Sir Roger Gale MP:
I want to express my condemnation of the actions of the regime, particularly in the last few weeks. The manner in which the regime has sought to suppress the people’s natural desire for democracy is unacceptable. The recent wave of oppression in the face of grassroots demonstrations over the desire for freedom throughout the country is an indication of the lengths to which the regime will go to stamp out hope for freedom.
The brave people of Iran are no longer prepared to tolerate that repression. The views of Madam Rajavi are shared by the members of our parliament. There is a movement able to replace the current regime and to instigate the democratic reforms that are necessary if Iran is to take its rightful place in the international community. The NCRI and Madam Rajavi have my full support and that of my colleagues. I believe it is time that our government acknowledges and consults with the NCRI and makes it clear that the organization is expressing itself on behalf of the people of Iran. I look forward to seeing Madam Rajavi come here and make her case.
Tahar Boumedra, JVMI co-founder:
Since 1988, the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, the Iranian regime got away with it. And this massacre continued to go on in November 2019, in which 1,500 demonstrators were killed with total impunity. And today, we’re living another massacre taking place. And we hear that the UN is trying to take some measures. But the measures of the UN seek long-term change. They don’t prevent and don’t stop the ongoing crimes and massacres against young people, women, and children.
I want to appeal to world leaders, and to the international community that we need urgent action. We don’t need measures that take decades to bring change. People are dying as we speak. We need urgent action. The UN Security Council is paralyzed. The UN General Assembly is not working. It is the member states of the international community that have the sovereign power to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and also to implement effective sanctions against the theocratic regime. My concern is that we cannot wait for more lives to be wasted. We need urgent action.
Jim Shannon, MP:
I’m very encouraged by the people of Iran. We pray for the freedom of the people of Iran. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of the regime. I want to condemn the regime’s crackdown on the protests, especially on Kurd and Baluch minorities. We support you and pray for you.
I want to associate with everyone who spoke today. We know that Iran is a very diverse country. I hope to one day visit a free Iran. What all the people of Iran have in common is being the victim of the regime’s persecution and domestic terror. The regime thinks it represents God and commits crimes in the name of God, including cracking down on dissidents and protesters. I seek justice for all those who have been the victims of the regime’s crimes.
I suggest the need to refer the regime’s human rights violations to the UN Security Council. Our government must support a fact-finding mission on the regime’s crimes. We must stand strong in our efforts to hold the regime to account. We must stand strong in our support of the Iranian resistance and Madam Rajavi. We will continue our efforts until the people of Iran enjoy a free and democratic country.
Azadeh Zabeti:
Since the savage beating to death of Mahsa Amini by Iran’s notorious morality police, the people of Iran have taken to the streets across the country. They have united under the banner of regime change in its entirety. Make no mistake, whilst this is a revolution that was led by women, it is not nearly a matter of mandatory veiling alone. This is just one of the demands of the Iranian people. What they want is a democratic republic that respects and guarantees the rights of all Iranians. We know this can only be achieved by regime change.
I join others in grieving the execution of Mohsen Shekari and Majid Reza Rahnavard. Make no mistake that this is merely an attempt by the Iranian regime to silence the Iranian people and instill fear in the families of the victims and the society at large.
What we’ve witnessed in the past three months is the will of the Iranian people. Not once have they surrendered their aspiration for democratic regime change. These actions have galvanized the Iranian people.
As someone who has spent a great deal of time researching this regime, the regime’s modus operandi has not changed since the 1979 revolution. There is absolutely no justice for political prisoners. The families of victims are being prevented from grieving the loss of their loved ones. This has always been the face of the regime. Unfortunately, the international community has turned its back on the Iranian people. Had the international community taken robust measures, we would not have seen so many people killed by the regime.
I can tell you that in terms of numbers, it is estimated that over 30,000 people have been detained. Hundreds have been killed. Over ten percent of those killed are juveniles. But the people have not shied away from their desire to get rid of this evil.
The Iranian people have done their part and continue to do their part. It is now the duty and responsibility of the international community to act. The people of Iran do not desire interference in the internal affairs of our country. But wagging a finger at the regime will not cut it. Tyrants only understand only one language: robust measures. What I’d like to see is concrete measures by this government. We must take measures to assist the Iranian people in their struggle.
What should be done? First, shut the Iranian embassy in London. It’s a building that houses terrorists and spies. It is a threat to our democracy and national security. Expel Iran’s diplomats and agents. Do not allow the regime’s agent to enjoy a safe haven. Second, expel the Iranian regime from the United Nations. The fact that Iran is still on UN committees is an insult to the Iranian people. Third, the IRGC must be proscribed as a terrorist organization and the MOIS must be added to the list. Fourth, 43 years ago the regime waged war on the people. I ask the international community to recognize our people’s right to resist tyranny. We have the right to fight back. Finally, I would invite everyone to read Madam Rajavi’s ten-point plan for a free, democratic, and secular Iran.
Nikta Sharifi:
I believe Mrs. Rajavi’s ten-point plan will stabilize Iran. I escaped Iran three years ago. I have been able to pursue my career dreams here in the UK. I’m lucky. My peers in Iran are worried about their lives and freedom. They don’t have the option to think about their future.
Nika Shakarami, 16, was found dead after going missing for a week. Sarina Esmailzadeh, 16, had the same dreams as I had. But she is now dead after struggling for her life in the streets of Iran. Asra Panahi died at the age of 15 after getting beaten for refusing to join pro-regime rallies. The people don’t want this regime. But they want their voices to be heard.
Monir Hosseini:
I was a political prisoner in Iran. I was arrested in 1983 for supporting the PMOI. I was 18 years old at the time. My sister and her husband, PMOI members, were killed by the regime. I spent six months in solitary confinement and was tortured. When I hear about arrested girls in demonstrations, I am worried.
The women of PMOI have been fighting for women’s rights since the implementation of compulsory veiling. The women are brave. They are in prison but sending messages of hope. The female prisoners of Evin have sent a message saying that we have to overthrow the regime.
On national Students Day, Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi, two elite students in prison, sent a message saying that we will continue the struggle until Iran is freed. They were arrested in 2020 under the charges of supporting the PMOI.
These youth in their 20s are the bravest of the brave. As an ex-political prisoner, I underline my support for the NCRI as the only alternative to the barbaric regime in Iran. This is the only movement that has remained consistent in its efforts in the past decades.