On 16 September 2025, Members of Parliament, lawyers, politicians, representatives of the Anglo-Iranian community, and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) gathered at Westminster to mark the third anniversary of Iran’s 2022 nationwide uprising. The event underscored the resilience of the Iranian people in the face of brutal repression, record executions, and systematic crackdowns.
Speakers agreed that a decisive battle for Iran’s future is unfolding, crediting the progress of the protest movement to the determination of the Iranian people and the organized resistance led by the NCRI and its principal member, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Honoured to chair a meeting on the 3rd anniversary of Iran’s 2022 uprising.
3 years after Mahsa Amini’s tragic death, the Iranian people’s courage endures.
The UK must back their right to resist, proscribe the IRGC & support Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan for a free Iran. pic.twitter.com/xRoQrGOwUs
— Bob Blackman (@BobBlackman) September 17, 2025
Several MPs and peers urged the UK to adopt a firmer and long-term strategy on Iran:
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Bob Blackman CBE MP, President of the International Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran (ICPDI), emphasized:
“The Government should join the growing cross-party MPs and Peers supporting and acknowledging the Iranian people’s right to resist the IRGC and to realise their democratic aspirations and to recognise and endorse Madam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan. The Government should also engage with the NCRI as the democratic alternative to the current regime.” -
Baroness O’Loan DBE warned of the regime preparing another mass killing, stating:
“International intervention is both urgent and necessary. The UK has the standing to lead such action, and our Government should do so at the UN General Assembly in New York next week, building a coalition to hold the regime accountable and to prevent further atrocities.” -
Jim Shannon MP declared:
“The regime in Iran has never sought peace or cooperation, it has violated every international law and convention … the regime cannot be trusted.”
Honoured to attend & mark Iran’s 2022 uprising. The regime has never sought peace, only repression & executions. I pledged my support for Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan & the NCRI as the true democratic alternative. The UK must adopt a firm policy of support & proscribe the IRGC. pic.twitter.com/oIpiKdQKWi
— Jim Shannon MP (@JimShannonMP) September 17, 2025
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Baroness Redfern praised NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi as “a remarkable figure, a Muslim woman who leads a secular, pro-democracy movement … Her leadership has brought international focus to the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan, a practical framework for a free Iran.”
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Rt Hon Theresa Villiers highlighted the legacy of Mahsa Amini, saying:
“Almost three years after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, we must pay special tribute to the courageous women who led those protests … The continuing protests show that the Iranian people reject both monarchy and religious dictatorship, demanding democracy and a better future.”
Other speakers, including Professor Sara Chandler KC (Hon), urged accountability through the UN Security Council and universal jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators of atrocities. Hossein Abedini, Deputy Director of the NCRI UK Office, emphasized the critical role of Resistance Units in sustaining nationwide protests.
The meeting demonstrated broad cross-party and civil society support for aligning UK foreign policy with the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people. The message was clear: the UK must adopt a firm, principled, and long-term strategy toward Iran—proscribing the IRGC, holding the regime accountable for human rights violations, and engaging with the NCRI as a democratic alternative.