Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the persecution of Baháʼís in (a) Iran and (b) the Middle East.

We condemn any instance of state repression against Baha'is globally. The UK was instrumental in delivering the Iran Human Rights resolution, adopted by the United Nations Third Committee in November 2024, which spotlighted Iran's appalling treatment of Baha'is and called on Iran to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group, and to ensure that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief.

We also track the treatment of the Baha'is across the Middle East, including in Yemen through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. The Government strongly condemns the continued persecution of the Baha'is and other religious minorities. We are working with our international partners to raise these concerns directly with the Houthi authorities and urge the release of all Yemenis detained for their beliefs or nationality.