Labour peer Maurice Glasman has issued a stark warning that London risks transforming into an "escape route for Iran's mullahs" as the British government hesitates in taking decisive action against the Tehran regime. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail during an anti-regime demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Kensington, Baron Glasman demanded urgent measures to confront Iran's leadership.
Call for IRGC Terror Designation
Glasman, a prominent supporter of Iran's deposed monarchy, pressed his own Labour Party to immediately proscribe Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, following the lead of allied nations. "I expect Labour to proscribe the IRGC soon," he stated. "I think they're going to play catch-up in the next couple of weeks."
The IRGC, the formidable military wing central to Iran's Islamic Republic, received terrorist designation from the United States in 2019 and from the European Union just last month. This classification followed the regime's brutal suppression of nationwide protests earlier this year, which resulted in thousands of demonstrator fatalities.
Sanctions and London's Role
Beyond terrorist proscription, Glasman insisted the United Kingdom must implement comprehensive sanctions against Iranian regime figures. "We can't have London as the escape route for the mullahs," he emphasized, highlighting concerns about the capital potentially serving as a sanctuary for Tehran's leadership.
Recent weeks have witnessed pockets of regime support emerging across Britain following joint American and Israeli airstrikes that eliminated Iran's Supreme Leader and triggered escalating Middle Eastern violence. The Islamic Centre of England in Maida Vale has become a focal point for those mourning the Ayatollah, with violent confrontations erupting between monarchists and regime supporters outside the premises.
Monarchist March Through London
Sunday's demonstration saw thousands of protesters marching from Whitehall to the Iranian embassy, creating a vibrant procession filled with Iran's Lion and Sun flags—the emblem of the Pahlavi dynasty overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. American and Israeli flags also dotted the crowd alongside supportive placards.
Chants of "Trump and Bibi, thank you, thank you" echoed through the streets as participants celebrated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death with dancing. Baron Glasman addressed the substantial gathering, declaring: "For 47 years, I've waited and waited for this moment. This is the final battle." He demanded the British government "immediately close down the embassy of the Islamic Republic."
Personal Political Journey
Glasman, founder of the Blue Labour movement, attributed his political philosophy to witnessing the Islamic Revolution unfold during his youth. "When I was 17-years-old, there was the Iranian revolution," he recalled. "It was the first demo I ever went on—it was against the Shah—and my whole life has been a penance for this action."
He continued: "For 47 years I have been trying to support the resistance to a murdering, hateful, disgusting regime, and now I believe it's going to go. And I have to be here to express my full support."
Addressing Labour's Hesitation
When questioned about his party's delay in proscribing the IRGC, Glasman expressed confusion. "I really find it very hard to understand what's going on," he admitted. "I understand the reservations about Iraq and post-Iraq. But Iran is not Iraq—these are Persian people. They're not going to ransack the offices."
He elaborated: "They want what we have—a constitutional monarchy—and I think we're obliged to absolutely support them in doing that."
Protest Atmosphere and Imagery
The protest along Whitehall—home to major government departments including the Ministry of Defence, Foreign Office, and Cabinet Office—featured effigies mocking the deceased Ayatollah, with one depicting him as a rat carried in a coffin. Protesters danced to electronic dance music remixes of Donald Trump's speech announcing Khamenei's assassination, many emulating the former president's distinctive dance moves.
Chants in Persian included "Long live the king" referencing the Pahlavi dynasty, and "The final battle, Pahlavi will return!" Despite these calls for regime change, Iran announced yesterday that Khamenei's son had been selected as his successor, with Ayatollah Hosseinali Eshkevari declaring "The name of Khamenei will continue" in Iranian media.
Regional Escalation and International Response
The conflict, now entering its tenth day, has seen Iran retaliate aggressively by targeting Western military bases in Gulf neighbor territories, drawing additional nations into the confrontation. Israel continues targeting senior Iranian figures, including Abolqasem Babaian, recently appointed head of the military office of the supreme leader, killed in a Saturday strike.
Donald Trump has defended the extensive US military operation—the largest in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion—by asserting Tehran posed an imminent threat to the United States and was nearing nuclear weapons capability, though providing no evidence for these claims. Trump additionally suggested Washington should influence Iran's leadership selection process, stating on Sunday: "If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long."
The Home Office declined to comment when approached regarding these developments.
