Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Iranian authorities on attacks on the Baha’i community including the illegal obtention of property and assets; and what steps is he taking to ensure (a) their protection and (b) the promotion of religious freedom in the country.

The UK strongly condemns the repression of religious minorities in Iran, including Baha'is. On 18 March, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted the continued systematic targeting and repression of religious minorities at the UN Human Rights Council. We were integral to the delivery of an Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on 3 April, which renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran to investigate a wider breadth of violations, and to establish the facts, circumstances and structural causes of such violations, including discrimination on grounds of religion or belief. On 3 July, the Special Envoy met Baha'i International Community UN Representative, Simin Fahandej, to discuss the current and historic situation of  Baha'is in Iran, and on 8 July, delivered a speech where he highlighted Baha'is acute vulnerability to scapegoating, incitement and threats of violence from authorities.