Iran: Protests

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Monday 12th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Lib Dem Benches next.

[Lord Hussain (LD)]

My Lords, I agree with all those who have condemned the killing of innocent protesters in Iran, but will the Minister agree that the Iranian nation is very resilient? We have seen that the Iranian public know how to change their Governments. We saw the end of the King of Iran’s time, when the protesters were on the roads in their tens of thousands, and in the end they forced the King to leave the country. Whether we liked it or not, there was a change of Government. Similarly, now, when the people of Iran have had enough of this regime and want a change, they are capable of changing their Government on their own, and they do not need external invasion or plans for a change of regime to be practised in their country.