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Mrs. Maryam Rajavi joins conference with members of the UK House of Commons and House of Lords to discuss the situation in Iran
In a powerful cross-party conference held at the UK Parliament, Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords joined with Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, human rights advocates, and young Iranian activists to address the escalating human rights crisis in Iran. The event focused on the alarming surge in executions by the clerical regime and called for a decisive international policy to hold Tehran accountable and support the Iranian people’s struggle for a democratic republic.
Speaker after speaker condemned the regime’s use of the death penalty as a tool of political repression designed to quell a society on the verge of another uprising. They highlighted the international community’s moral and strategic obligation to abandon policies of appeasement and instead recognize the legitimate right of the Iranian people and their organized Resistance to overthrow the religious dictatorship.
Maryam Rajavi: The Path to Ending Terror is Supporting the Iranian People’s Resistance
In her keynote address, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), warned that the world’s focus on the regime’s nuclear program and transnational repression, while valid, overlooks the immediate tragedy of state-sanctioned killings. She revealed that since the beginning of 2025, over 1,400 people have been executed in an unprecedented wave of repression orchestrated directly by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to prevent new uprisings and delay the regime’s inevitable collapse.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the only viable solution to the multifaceted threat posed by the Iranian regime lies not in negotiation or external conflict, but in empowering the Iranian people. “I am here to tell governments and international organizations that there is only one real way to stop the regime’s nuclear and missile programs and to stop its terrorism and killing machine. That way is the resistance of the Iranian people to overthrow the regime,” she declared. She noted the growing number of prisoners sentenced to death for their affiliation with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), with 17 currently facing execution on this charge after sham trials.
Conference at the UK Parliament; Escalating Executions in Iran
Today, at the international level, most concerns about Iran are focused on the regime’s nuclear and missile programs or its transnational repression including in the UK.
These concerns are certainly valid but a… pic.twitter.com/lfk7DMwiEQ
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) October 31, 2025
She highlighted the resilience of the Iranian people, pointing to the nationwide “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign now in its 92nd week inside 54 prisons, and the growing activities of Resistance Units. Mrs. Rajavi outlined a clear policy path for the international community, urging governments to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and make all relations with Tehran conditional on a complete halt to executions. She concluded with a powerful call to action: “The fundamental solution lies in recognizing the right to resist and fight against the regime’s oppression for the people of Iran, especially the courageous and defiant youth.”
Lord Bellingham, a long-standing supporter of the NCRI, opened the session by welcoming Mrs. Rajavi and highlighting the critical moment in history. He observed a paradox where Western democracies face governance challenges while people in dictatorships like Iran are rising up for freedom. He described the regime’s escalating oppression, torture, and executions as “a sign of great weakness on the part of the government, because the government was actually getting desperate.” Lord Bellingham argued that the regime’s export of terror makes its internal situation a matter of critical interest to the UK. He called on the West to continue isolating the regime, empower the Iranian people, hold Tehran to account at the UN, and formally engage with the NCRI, endorsing Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a blueprint for a democratic future.
MP Bob Blackman delivered a comprehensive analysis of the regime’s strategy, stating that the more than 2,000 executions carried out under President Masoud Pezeshkian are a desperate attempt to survive and crush organized opposition. He noted the irony that the 17 prisoners on death row are being targeted for the “simple crime” of supporting Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan—a plan advocating for a democratic, secular, non-nuclear Iran based on principles of equality, justice, and human rights. Mr. Blackman asserted that the regime is weaker than ever, with its repression backfiring and fueling daily protests and the expansion of Resistance Units. He criticized two decades of a soft-line approach from the West, urging the UK government to move from words to action. His policy recommendations included imposing targeted human rights sanctions on Khamenei, referring the regime’s rights dossier to the UN Security Council, and proscribing the IRGC in its entirety. “We stand with the Iranian people and the NCRI, as this is not only a moral imperative, but it’s also a strategic investment for our security,” he concluded.
Last night, I attended the NCRI Conference on the horrendous human rights abuses committed by the IRGC.
2,000 executions in Iran since Masoud Pezeshkian took office 14 months ago.@Maryam_Rajavi‘s 10 point plan is the only viable democratic alternative to the regime. pic.twitter.com/UnYRUa3OaZ
— Bob Blackman (@BobBlackman) October 29, 2025
Baroness Redfern praised the courage of the Iranian Resistance, led by Mrs. Rajavi, and its commitment to human rights and the leadership of women. She identified Iran’s two defining realities: a record number of executions and a growing wave of dissent. “The regime’s answer to every demand for justice is hanging. It uses the death penalty not as a law, but as a weapon, an instrument to crush opposition and silence the cry for change,” she stated. Citing the alarming rise in executions since last year, including political prisoners from Arab and Kurdish minorities, she stressed that behind this brutality lies the regime’s fear of its own people. Baroness Redfern called support for the Iranian Resistance a “strategic necessity for global peace and European security,” urging the UK government to recognize the NCRI as the democratic alternative to the clerical regime.
A prominent human rights expert, Baroness O’Loan, spoke of the urgency to save the lives of those facing execution. She highlighted the recent case of Zahra Tabari, a 67-year-old woman sentenced to death in a ten-minute trial for writing a pro-freedom slogan, calling it “absolutely shocking and totally illegal.” Baroness O’Loan condemned the Iranian judiciary as an instrument of repression that denies fair trials and tortures prisoners, particularly those affiliated with the PMOI. She praised the persistence of the Iranian people’s resistance, inspired by the NCRI and Mrs. Rajavi’s democratic vision for a future Iran without the death penalty. She criticized the UK government for its delay in proscribing the IRGC, stating, “We need to move now. We cannot wait any longer.” Her recommendations included referring the regime’s crimes against humanity, including the 1988 massacre, to the UN Security Council and applying universal jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators, including Khamenei himself.
MP Jim Shannon delivered a passionate speech, drawing a biblical parallel to the fall of a corrupt kingdom to describe the Iranian regime’s fate. “The day of reckoning is coming for the government in Iran, and that day cannot come quick enough,” he declared. As a man of faith, he expressed deep revulsion that the regime justifies its “barbaric executions” in the name of God, calling its actions “pure evil.” He connected the current wave of killings to the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners and warned that regime officials are now openly calling for a repeat. Mr. Shannon highlighted the systematic persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians, Baha’is, Baluchis, and Kurds. He urged the UK government to take the lead in ensuring another massacre does not occur by imposing sanctions on the judiciary and the Supreme Leader and referring them to the UN for prosecution.
William Powell and I at yesterday’s meeting in Parliament calling for an end to the death penalty in Iran and the dire state of human rights. Inspiring speech from NCRI President Elect Maryam Rajavi, Powerful calls for the proscription of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. pic.twitter.com/JxKlEya0NT
— Mark Williams (@mark4ceredigion) October 29, 2025
Sir Roger Gale, member of UK Parliament and a veteran campaigner for democracy in Iran, reflected on the decades-long struggle and expressed his conviction that the end of the regime is near. “I think I am probably right in saying that we are witnessing the death throes of a very evil regime. This cannot go on,” he asserted. He was particularly moved by the testimony of the young activists at the event, stating it is now their duty to carry the torch forward. Sir Roger interpreted the regime’s escalating brutality not as a sign of strength, but as an “act of utter desperation, because they know they’ve failed.” He expressed his firm belief that the tide is turning and that the future of Iran will soon be decided by its people.
Lord Carlile, a distinguished King’s Counsel and former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, powerfully condemned the regime’s human rights record, stating, “When one country is executing more people than the whole of the rest of the world added together, I don’t think it needs a King’s Counsel to tell you that there’s something wrong.” He labeled the Iranian regime “a bunch of criminals” and praised the extraordinary courage of ordinary Iranians, especially the women who have become the “backbone” of the society’s resistance. Lord Carlile also identified the Iranian government as a state actor “damaging the national security of The United Kingdom with determination,” and warned that its leaders will one day face justice as war criminals.
Lord Cryer provided a stark definition of the Iranian regime as “clerical fascist,” equating its defenders in the UK to apologists for the brown shirts of the 1930s. He strongly criticized successive UK governments, both Conservative and Labor, for being “pretty ineffective when it comes to standing up to the clerical fascists who run Iran.” His primary focus was the failure to proscribe the IRGC. He recounted how, despite promises in opposition, the current government now offers the same excuses as its predecessor, citing bureaucratic complexity. Lord Cryer dismissed these excuses, pointing out that the IRGC and its proxies operate on British streets, using criminal gangs to attack dissidents. “It’s about time a British government finally decided what its backbone was for and stood up to the Iranian regime and prescribed the IRGC,” he concluded forcefully.
We call on respected members of both Houses of Parliament and all #HumanRights defenders to encourage the Government to proscribe the IRGC and make its continued relations with Iran’s religious dictatorship conditional on the halt to the execution of prisoners in Iran.… pic.twitter.com/zy3AGJKakJ
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) October 31, 2025
Reflecting on his decades-long interest in Iran, which began in 1981 after meeting Iranian students whose families had disappeared, Lord McCabe described watching in horror as the regime terrorized its people and fueled global conflict. He noted the genuine fears of a repeat of the 1988 massacre and pointed to the case of Zahra Tabari, sentenced to death after a ten-minute video trial for cooperating with the PMOI. He observed that the harsher the regime’s behavior, the stronger the resistance grows, as the people see the system collapsing. Lord McCabe dismissed any hope of the regime transitioning to moderation, calling it a “doctrine of hatred.” He issued a clear set of demands: “Ban the IRGC, recognize the resistance, invite Madam Rajavi to our parliament, refer the regime to the Security Council, and demand comprehensive sanctions.”
Former member of House of Commons Mark Williams dedicated his remarks to the political prisoners executed and on death row, and to the 120,000 PMOI activists who have lost their lives over four decades. He highlighted the brutal suppression of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which was met “not with dialogue… but with bullets.” Mr. Williams detailed the IRGC’s role as a “transnational terror network,” citing its funding of Hezbollah and Shia militias, its supply of missiles to the Houthis, and its corrupt control over Iran’s economy to finance global terrorism. He passionately endorsed Mrs. Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan as a “plan of hope for the future,” listing its commitments to universal suffrage, gender equality, abolition of the death penalty, and a non-nuclear Iran. “Appeasement, as we’ve heard, emboldens dictators. Silence enables slaughter,” he warned.
MP Rachael Maskel expressed how she was “blown away by the testimonies” and honored the duty of parliamentarians to fight for Iran. She spoke of the turning tide and the need for politicians to recognize the moment and respond. Drawing on her family’s history of fighting for human rights, she stressed that “the suffering of one is the suffering of all.” Ms. Maskel affirmed her commitment to working with the NCRI’s UK team to ensure the voices of the Iranian people are heard in Parliament, pledging to help apply sanctions, hold the regime accountable, and ultimately see democracy and justice prevail in Iran.
MP Andy McDonald expressed his solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle, describing the regime’s barbaric executions as an “anathema.” He emphasized the importance of recognizing the Iranian people’s “aching desire” for a secular society. Mr. McDonald called for greater international attention to the horrors in Iran and stressed the need to uphold international law. He argued that perpetrators of torture and executions must be held to account and that discussions should be held in the UK about “how the ICC can exercise its writ against people who were committing such barbaric crimes.” He concluded by expressing his awe at the courage of incarcerated Iranians who would rather go to the gallows than recant their views, stating they are “deserving of universal support.”
MP Mary Glindon paid tribute to the “brave people, particularly the women of Iran,” who are showing the world how to fight for freedom. She lamented that the suffering has gone on for too long and called on her fellow parliamentarians to put more pressure on the government to act on the world stage. Ms. Glindon stated that global peace is unattainable without peace in Iran and pledged her continued solidarity. “Please do not give up hope because as long as there’s hope, [there is a] possibility of peace coming,” she encouraged, urging a united fight for a better future.
Lord Hamilton declared that he believes things are changing dramatically for the Iranian regime. “We used to think that they were all powerful… and that is no longer true. The days are numbered,” he said. He pointed to sanctions on oil and other internal problems as evidence of the regime’s weakening grip. Lord Hamilton expressed confidence that behind-the-scenes negotiations and mounting pressure would ultimately lead to regime change. “For the first time, I’m optimistic that all the efforts that have been made by this magnificent organization will actually come to fruition,” he concluded, predicting the regime’s end within the foreseeable future.
William Powell, former member of the Welsh Assembly, described the current moment as “injury time” for the regime, emphasizing the urgency of allowing Mrs. Rajavi to visit the UK Parliament in person. He stated that a free and democratic Iran could be a force for stability in a turbulent world. Mr. Powell asserted that the tyranny of the Mullahs and the previous oppression of the Shah must be “neither forgotten nor forgiven.” He declared that the proscription of the IRGC is not an option but a necessity and criticized the “inertia of current government policy” as an inadequate response to the slaughter of thousands. “Never has the regime been weaker or more vulnerable than it is today. It is time to act and to do so decisively,” he urged.
Meeting in UK Parliament on 28th Oct on “Iran’s Escalating Executions” – Attended by young speakers giving testimonies about the human rights atrocities.
They also called for supporting NCRI as the only viable democratic alternative ✌🏻#StopExecutionsInIran#NCRIAlternative pic.twitter.com/9mz1jZy8oR
— Rana.Rahmanfard (@RRahmanfard) October 29, 2025
A deeply moving segment of the conference featured powerful testimonies from young Iranian activists, whose families have been directly impacted by the regime’s brutality. Speaking with poise and passion, they connected their generation’s struggle with the sacrifices of those who came before them and issued a moral call to the world.
Amir Hossein, a biomedical engineering graduate, spoke of his uncle who was executed in his basement and another who was nearly buried alive by the Revolutionary Guards. “These are not distant stories. They are the daily reality for countless Iranian families,” he said. Neda Zabeti, a 20-year-old student, shared that five of her family members were murdered by the regime, while another aunt was forced to give birth in a prison cell. Rosa Zarei, whose aunt was executed in the 1988 massacre, stood as a voice for the martyrs’ families, stating, “When I think of my aunt, I think of the women in Evin Prison today… Their courage carries the legacies of those lost in 1988.”
These young leaders framed their activism as a duty. Elia Zarei, whose father was a political prisoner for eight years, said, “I feel as though it is my duty to represent my age mates in Iran who, like my family, are persecuted for their opposition.” Mehrnoosh, a 16-year-old high school student, spoke for a brave generation fighting for freedom, declaring, “Our generation carries its dream forward. We will speak for those silenced and we will not stop until Iran is free.” Alma, another young activist, highlighted the resilience of prisoners participating in hunger strikes and called on the UK to support the NCRI as the only democratic alternative. They shared a unified message, powerfully articulated by Mehrnoosh: “To the international community, I say this clearly, your silence is complicity.”