Iran: Alleged Human Rights Violations

Tom Gordon, the Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough, asked the Foreign Office Minister, Hamish Falconer, about the discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart regarding alleged human rights violations in Iran. In response, the Minister stated that Iran's continued repression of women, girls, ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights defenders is unacceptable. He said the UK will continue to work with international partners to hold the Iranian regime accountable, including at the UN Third Committee later this year. Mr. Gordon then followed up, highlighting the Iranian authorities' systematic targeting of BBC Persian staff and their families in an attempt to intimidate them. He asked the Minister to commit to working across the government, with the Culture Secretary, to revisit the previous cuts to BBC Persian and look to increase funding for the vital work the service does. The Minister acknowledged the importance of the issue, noting that Iran remains an extremely hostile environment for journalists who face harassment, arbitrary detention, and long prison sentences. He said the Foreign Office will raise this issue with the new Iranian government when they are formed, and that the Foreign Office currently provides a quarter of the BBC World Service budget, which they will no doubt review as part of the wider budget process. Dan Tomlinson, the Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet, then intervened, welcoming the Minister to his post. He noted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a destructive, malign, and terrorist force operating through proxies in the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah. He asked the Minister to update the House on the ongoing work to proscribe the IRGC, which the previous Conservative government failed to do, and to reassure the House that the UK continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against the IRGC's continued aggression. The Minister responded that the government recognizes the threat posed by the IRGC and will take the necessary measures to counter it at home and abroad. He stated that the list of proscribed terrorist organizations is under careful review, but it would not be appropriate to comment on whether the IRGC is under consideration. The Minister also said that Iran continues to destabilize the Middle East through its support for proxies and partners, and the UK will work with international partners to challenge this destabilizing activity.