Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a forceful condemnation of the Iranian regime's violent suppression of nationwide protests, joining his French and German counterparts in a significant diplomatic rebuke.
International Leaders Unite in Condemnation
In a powerful joint statement released on Thursday, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany expressed being "deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces". They "strongly" condemned the killing of protesters and urged authorities in Tehran to "exercise restraint" and "refrain from violence".
The statement emphasised that the Iranian government holds a fundamental duty to protect its own population. It called for the protection of "the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal" and insisted that the fundamental rights of Iran's citizens must be upheld.
Unrest Spreads Across Iran
The current wave of demonstrations, which represents the most significant challenge to the theocratic regime in years, began on 28 December. Initial small-scale protests over the collapsing rial currency and the country's failing economy rapidly escalated.
The movement gained further momentum following a call for nationwide action from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. This led to thousands taking to the streets in cities across Iran, with crowds in central Tehran's Ghods Square chanting "Death to the dictator" – a direct reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In response, the regime has implemented a severe crackdown. Authorities have imposed a total internet blackout and restricted international telephone calls. According to reports, this brutal suppression has resulted in at least 62 fatalities and over 2,300 detentions.
Calls for UK to Proscribe IRGC as Terrorist Organisation
The escalating crisis has triggered renewed demands for the British government to take concrete action beyond diplomatic statements. Experts and campaigners are urging Westminster to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
This move would align the UK with nations like the United States, Canada, and Sweden, which have already proscribed the IRGC. Mohammad Hanif Jazayeri, a London-based human rights and Iran policy expert, stated it is "high time for the UK government to proscribe the regime's main force of suppression and terrorism, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)".
He argued that while overthrowing the regime is the responsibility of the Iranian people, democratic governments must actively side with them. This involves recognising their right to resist and establish a free, democratic republic.
The Supreme Leader has attempted to frame the protests as foreign-inspired, accusing demonstrators of trying to "please the president of the United States". This rhetoric, alongside state media labelling protesters as "terrorists", has set the stage for the ongoing violent repression, echoing crackdowns seen after previous nationwide uprisings.
