Iran: Protests Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Manuela Perteghella
Main Page: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)Department Debates - View all Manuela Perteghella's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Iran: Protests
Manuela Perteghella Excerpts(1 day, 21 hours ago)
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Mr Falconer
The Foreign Office has a special relationship with the BBC, given our role in the World Service, which we have talked about already this session. I can confirm to the House that law enforcement is making full use of the powers afforded to it, including under the National Security Act 2023. It is under that Act that those associated with potential violence were arrested in May last year.
Manuela Perteghella (Stratford-on-Avon) (LD)
My constituents have contacted me sick with worry. They have not heard from their loved ones for over a week. There are reports of tens of thousands of citizens being killed, but the number could be higher because of the deliberate communication blackout. This is now an international human rights emergency. Will the Government act faster on the proscription of the IRGC, and will the Minister support stronger diplomatic consequences for this brutal regime?
Mr Falconer
We have discussed the IRGC proscription process, and I do not have much further to add on the more detailed timing questions on which the hon. Lady has sought to press me. As for diplomatic consequences, I have described some of the actions that we have taken in recent days, and I imagine that we will have more to tell the House shortly—for instance, during Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office questions tomorrow.