On May 7, 2024, the British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) issued a press release regarding a meeting at the UK Parliament to address the Iranian regime’s domestic threats to the UK and Europe, as well as the regime’s growing terrorism targeting Iranian dissidents, activists, and their supporters around the world.

The full text of the press release is as follows:

Press Release: Cross-party MPs and peers call for Iran policy change including proscribing IRGC as terrorist entity

Cross-party Members of Parliament, Iran experts and representatives of the democratic opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), met in Parliament today to address the Iranian regime’s domestic threat to the UK and Europe and growing terrorism targeting the Iranian dissidents, activists, and their supporters around the world.

The meeting raised alarm over Iran’s use of criminal gangs and professional criminals for terrorism, signalling a new phase in their tactics.

Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a Spanish politician and former Vice President of the European Parliament, who recently survived an assassination attempt, was the guest speaker at the meeting. Known for his public call for a firm policy against the Iranian regime, advocacy for democracy in Iran and support for the Iranian people, the NCRI and its president-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, Dr Vidal-Quadras was shot in the face outside his home by criminals in November last year.

He shared his personal experience and explained why he believes the hit was ordered by Tehran.

“When a policy does not work for 40 years, the common sense is to change it”, Dr Vidal-Quadras, President of the International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ), added with reference to the West’s soft-line policy on Iran.

Speakers warned that the Iranian regime’s export of repression and efforts to eliminate pro-democracy dissidents now directly jeopardise UK security and society. They discussed measures to tackle these serious threats as the regime not only suppresses the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people but also poses a threat to democracy in the UK and Europe.

In a message to the meeting, NCRI President-elect Mrs. Maryam Rajavi thanked Members of Parliament for calling on the UK Government to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and for supporting the Iranian people and their Resistance movement.

Mrs Rajavi described the Iranian regime as “the main obstacle to peace” and said:

“Khamenei (the mullahs’ Supreme Leader) started this war [in the Middle East] to prevent potential uprisings among the Iranian people. In the beginning, the West tried to downplay the regime’s role, in continuation of their policy of appeasement.

“When Khamenei emerged from the shadows of his proxies and launched hundreds of missiles and drones, it became evident to all that this regime was the main party to the conflict.

“According to British officials, the Iranian regime has been involved in various plots to assassinate or kidnap individuals in Britain. In step with provoking the conflict in the region, the regime has been waging another brutal war against the Iranian people. It has executed some 80 prisoners just in the last two weeks.

“The head of the snake of warmongering and terrorism lies within Iran, under the rule of the mullahs, and that those seeking peace in the region must confront the regime.

“On behalf of the Iranian people’s Resistance, I call on governments and international bodies to implement these policies: Officially designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity; Declaring the Iranian regime as a threat to world peace and security under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter; Recognizing the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow the mullahs’ regime.”

Speakers agreed that sanctions alone will not disrupt Iran’s domestic threat and call on the UK Government to lead Europe in implementing the recommendations Mrs Rajavi put forward in her remarks.

They emphasised that negotiations at this moment only emboldens the regime given credible reporting of at least 15 such threats taking place in the UK since January 2022 and clear evidence of Tehran misusing diplomatic missions and diplomats for terrorism.

Speakers stressed that the regime is focused on the organised democratic opposition and its international and Iranian supporters across the world. In this regard, they highlighted the increasing number of reported attacks on NCRI offices in Europe involving criminals following the 2022 uprising and Iranian diplomats and embassies plotting to bomb NCRI gatherings in Europe in 2018 as Iran witnessed several nationwide protests.

The cross-party MPs and peers said the UK must cut diplomatic ties and close Iran’s Embassy in London in order to send a clear signal to Tehran that its behaviour is unacceptable and has real consequences. They added that the UK and EU must request international arrest warrants against those officials in Tehran who plot and facilitate terrorist attacks against Iranian dissidents and activists in Europe. They also called on the UK Government to recognise the right of the people of Iran and their resistance units to stand up against IRGC brutality.

President of the British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF), Rt Hon. David Jones MP, said:

“The UK Government confirmed in January the domestic threat to the UK from Tehran as it imposed sanctions, coordinated with the US, targeting Iranian officials responsible for threat to kill on UK soil and criminal gangs who do the regime’s bidding overseas, including members of IRGC unit 840.

“Pre-emptive action is now crucial, starting with the proscription of the IRGC, as called for by the House of Commons and many in the House of Lords.

“Regime’s terrorism is a reflection of its weakness and desperation in face of the popular rejection and uprising and the growing support and recognition of the NCRI President-elect. Mrs Rajavi’s 10-point plan for the future of Iran both internationally but also inside the country.”

Co-president of the International Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran (ICPDI), Bob Blackman CBE MP, said:

“The regime uses criminal gangs to target, intimidate and kill Iranian dissidents, journalists and any critics abroad and this presents a new phase in their terror operations.

“But now the new phase mirrors the Middle East policy which is destabilisation through proxies in order to have deniability. Then Tehran offers to mediate and negotiate for a deal to calm the situation and rein in its proxies.

“We should be clear, the regime has no interest in compromise. It persists in its warmongering, terrorism, and repression tactics to cling to power, as the popular uprising led by the NCRI resistance units grows and expands.

“We know the regime’s play book. We must outlaw its modus operandi by proscribing the IRGC in its entirety and cutting all diplomatic ties with the regime and closing its embassy in London, even if we have to close our own embassy in Tehran. The regime’s goals with diplomacy today is to buy time, create cover and gather resources to further destabilise the region and therefore threaten our security.”

Rt Hon. Theresa Villiers MP said:

“I was just so alarmed when preparing for this event today to read the dossier on the regime’s use of criminal gangs as part of its attempts to harm people around the world and intimidate the opposition.

“I welcome the NCRI’s ten point plan for a democratic secular republic which respects the rule of law and accords equal rights to women and to minority communities. Like everyone else here, I reiterate the call I have made many times over the years to see those sanctions snapped back and to see the United Kingdom prescribe the IRGC because of its malevolent and destructive activities in Iran, across the Middle East and beyond.”

Co-president of the BCFIF, Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE KC, who chaired part of the meeting, said:

“I look forward to when Iran is once more free and when it is a democratic state with an accountable government, not the diabolical and dangerous regime which we have at the present and which as David Jones in his introduction said is affecting our own policy, our own political life and the way we live the lives.”

Co-president of the BCFIF, Prof Lord Alton of Liverpool, said:

“The idea that we cannot proscribe the IRGC because we must preserve lines of communication with this terrorist regime sets a very dangerous precedent since Tehran provenly uses embassies and diplomats for terrorism.

“Nothing Iranian diplomats or ministers say can be trusted because they are merely figureheads and because terrorism is in the regime’s DNA.

“We ought to cut all diplomatic ties and trade with Iran and close its embassies in European countries in order to tackle its terrorism. As others stressed today, proscribing the IRGC is the right step. We also must do this because we need accountability.

“Those ordering and masterminding these attacks must be pursued legally to make it clear to Tehran that it will no longer enjoy impunity and it cannot hide behind criminal gangs.”

Rt Hon. Lord Dholakia OBE DL said:

“I signed both motion, letter, in terms of banning the IRGC, in terms of why they should not be allowed to operate in this country.

“Sitting in the audience is my former leader of the Liberal Democrat, Tom McNally, we have stood by the people of Iran for freedom, liberty and justice that the people of Iran deserve.

“Today’s regime is more dangerous than it’s ever been. Our friends in the NCRI and PMOI, the support continue to be the jump because they are regime’s prime target. We must ensure that they get all the support that we can give them in the work that they are doing in promoting the cause of Iranian people.”

President of the Anglo-Iranian Lawyers, Masoud Zabeti, said:

“I heard news today, there is an Iranian judge presiding over the trial of PMOI members in absentia, who has warned that countries hosting PMOI members to extradite them or they are violating international conventions against terrorism.

“The most active state sponsor of terrorism being concerned about international conventions of terrorism, which is not only pathetic but laughable. But it does illustrate that the Iranian regime operates on the basis of threats.”

But nobody in their right mind would take it seriously, the Anglo-Iranian Lawyer concluded.

Other speakers and participants included: Rt Hon. Sir Roger Gale MP; Anna Firth MP; Mary Glindon MP; Rt Hon. Caroline Nokes MP; Rt Hon. Sammy Wilson MP; Baroness Verma; Rt Hon. Lord McNally; Lord Hacking; and Struan Stevenson, former Scottish MEP and the Coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change (CiC).

British Committee for Iran Freedom

7 May 2024