Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking diplomatic steps with (a) the Iranian Government and (b) the United Nations Human Rights Council to challenge the death sentences imposed on Zahra Seddiqi Hamedani and Elham Choubdar in Iran on 6 September 2022.

The United Kingdom is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Iran. We have made clear to Iran, both in public and in private, our opposition to the use of the death penalty and will continue to do so. We have designated Iran as a Human Rights Priority Country and continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor human rights record, including through the Human Rights Council.

LGBT+ people have long faced discrimination and violence in Iran, and are unable to live openly. During the Interactive Dialogue on Iran, at the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council, the UK set out our serious concerns about Iran's continued human rights abuses, including against human rights defenders, activists and persons from marginalised minorities.