Former Defence Secretary Sir Liam Fox has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to end the "appeasement" of Iran's rulers and support "regime change from within" to prevent further terror attacks. Writing for the Express, Sir Liam argued that the new PM has a "unique opportunity to push the reset button on Iran policy."
Criticism of Western Policy
Sir Liam accused the UK and other Western powers of "turning a blind eye to the escalation of Tehran's malign activities, including its killing of thousands of protesters during the nationwide uprising in January." He also blasted the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, for giving the regime "vast sums in unfrozen assets and sanctions relief" while doing nothing to address its human rights record or support for terrorism.
According to Sir Liam, this allowed Iran to increase support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and enabled "massive investment" in missiles and drones. He warned that Iran's current weakness from US attacks will "likely make the regime even more dangerous than it has been up to this point."
Call for Regime Change
Urging the UK and allies to "face the stark reality," Sir Liam said: "There is only one solution to the Iranian problem, and that is regime change… There will be no peace in the region or the world until that regime is removed and replaced." He fears that attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could spread to the Red Sea via Houthi assaults on vessels.
However, Sir Liam does not support Western-led military attacks like those in Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead, he argues Western nations should "lay the groundwork for the inevitable moment when the Iranian people rise up to free their country from decades of oppression."
Support for Iranian People
Sir Liam wrote: "Freedom does not fall from the skies, and it cannot be delivered through foreign invasion. It can only come from the ground up. Only the Iranian people can reclaim their birthright of freedom and self-determination." He praised the Iranian people for their sacrifices and urged leaders to show courage.
He said: "The Western world should not be weak in its resolve when the Iranian people are so strong in theirs. Its leaders should be willing to take the political risk of openly promoting regime change and endorsing the opposition movement that is already poised to guide the country through its transition to democracy."
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "Our position is clear, we want to see a stable ceasefire and successful peace talks. Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. We are focused on working with partners on de-escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz."
