Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the killing of protesters in Iran, joining the leaders of France and Germany in urging Tehran to show restraint. In a joint statement, the Prime Minister said he was "deeply concerned" by reports of violence from Iranian security forces and "strongly" condemned the deaths.
The unrest, which began on December 28 and initially centred on economic grievances, has become the most serious challenge to the Iranian regime in years. At least 48 protesters have been killed and more than 2,300 detained, while authorities have also cut internet access and international phone lines.
The three leaders said the Iranian authorities had a responsibility to protect their own population and must allow freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal. "We urge the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint, to refrain from violence, and to uphold the fundamental rights of Iran's citizens," they added.
Earlier, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the regime of "doing what authoritarian governments always do when they are afraid" by trying to silence the truth through internet blackouts. She said a regime that represses its own people is the same one that exports terror and threatens stability beyond its borders, adding that Iran was even trying to murder its political opponents in Britain.
The protests have also revived tensions with the United States, with President Donald Trump warning that Tehran would "pay hell" if its security forces killed demonstrators. Demonstrators have shouted support for the pre-revolution shah, and his son Reza Pahlavi has urged further protests.
