In a meeting held in Parliament today, cross-party members from both Houses, legal experts, and representatives of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and Anglo-Iranian associations came together to call for a decisive shift in the UK’s policy on Iran.
The event—titled “The Third Option by Iran’s People and Resistance”—comes in the wake of the twelve-day war and growing concerns that further escalation could plunge the Middle East into a broader conflict, with serious consequences for regional stability and global peace and economy.
Speakers emphasised that the root cause of regional instability lies in the Iranian regime’s terrorism and destabilising policies, and that the only viable path to peace and stability is to support the Iranian people’s aspiration for democratic change.
Last week, the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) published a report on Iran, confirming that the regime poses a growing threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests. The report cited wide-ranging and unpredictable threats including nuclear activities, cyberattacks, espionage, and physical threats to Iranian dissidents in the UK.
It criticises the UK Government’s short-term, crisis-driven approach that focuses narrowly on Iran’s nuclear programme, lacking a long-term strategy and sufficient Iran-specific expertise. It calls for a comprehensive, strategic response to the full spectrum of threats posed by Tehran.
The meeting focused on the Third Option proposed by the NCRI, which was explained by its President-elect Maryam Rajavi in her message to the meeting, stating:
“The solution to the crisis in Iran lies neither in appeasement of the regime nor in foreign military intervention.
“The real path forward is the Third Option—championed for years by the Iranian Resistance—namely, regime change by the Iranian people and their organised resistance movement.
“The decisive battle that will shape the future of Iran and the region is the struggle of the Iranian people against the ruling religious fascism.”
The Iranian opposition leader also warned about the regime’s increasing repression following the recent conflict, including a wave of death sentences targeting political prisoners affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK), and stated:
“We respectfully urge the esteemed members of both Houses of the UK Parliament to take the initiative in proposing a resolution that recognises the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow the regime, triggers the snapback mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions, and conditions all diplomatic and economic relations with the regime on the immediate cessation of executions in Iran.”
Speakers agreed that the future of Iran must be determined by its own people. They welcomed and endorsed the NCRI’s Third Option and condemned the Iranian regime for exploiting the recent conflict as a pretext to escalate repression and criminalise both popular dissent and organised resistance.
They also denounced the latest wave of arrests and executions targeting political prisoners, particularly members of the NCRI’s principal constituent, the PMOI, as part of a broader campaign to silence the pro-democracy movement and prevent future uprisings.
Speakers endorsed the specific policy recommendations outlined by Maryam Rajavi and called on the UK Government to adopt them as part of its long-term strategy on Iran.
The meeting concluded with MPs and Peers showing solidarity with the campaign to save political prisoners currently on death row in Iran.
Baroness O’Loan DBE said:
“I urge the UK Government to bring legislation forward with new tools involving proscription like powers to outlaw state backed terrorist entities like the IRGC.
“Most importantly, the UK must make it clear to Tehran in no uncertain terms that any attempt to export its repression to our soil will carry serious consequences.
“I urge ministers to engage directly and officially with the NCRI. I stand with the Iranian people and support the NCRI because a free and democratic republic in Iran is a goal that serves both our security and our values.”
Baroness Verma said:
“Last month, I attended the Free Iran World Summit in Paris. It showed that contrary to the regime’s claim, Iranians have never been more united in the struggle for a democratic republic.
“This unity is inspired by the leadership and sacrifices of Maryam Rajavi, who offers a clear 10 point democratic plan and a roadmap for Iran's future.”
Lord McCabe said:
“We should recognise the only true opposition in Iran. We shall help and not making it impossible for the opposition.
“We want to see the things that are in the 10-point plan, a freely democratic state, secular state [with] separation of powers. That is what the demand for change is really about and that is what we should all support.”
Jim Shannon MP said:
“The regime’s rhetoric now, as the UN notes, mirrors the time leading up to the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, a majority of them members and supporters of a democratic opposition, the PMOI. We can not ignore these warnings.
“We must ensure that the regime cannot use the ongoing conflict as a cover to intensify its crackdown on dissidents, protesters, and minorities.”
Gurinder Singh Josan CBE MP said:
“The regime stands at its weakest point since 1979. [Its] strategic allies are no longer there, Hezbollah and the Assad regime.
“Change will come by the people of Iran. Knowing that … it is time to look at what concrete support we can provide using international agencies and organisations to put pressure [on the regime], but also to support the Iranian people.“
Rt Hon. Sir Desmond Swayne MP said:
“This is clearly a very important moment with the regime staggering as it is. This is the time for parliamentarians to come together and support this movement. It is a moment of opportunity that we must take.”
NCRI UK Representative Dowlat Nowruzi thanked the cross-party members of both Houses of Parliament for their strong and valuable support for the Iranian people and the resistance movement and said:
“This regime never wants nor that it can create any reform or change. So pinning hope that continuation of so called policy of peace or dialogue with this regime is only an illusion. It would lead us into a huge crisis.
“It is time now to blacklist IRGC and prosecute them. It is the main pillar of repression inside Iran, as well as export of terrorism, warmongering, and particularly acquiring weapons of mass destruction and nuclear capabilities.
“Madam Rajavi’s third option is to rely on the Iranian people and their major aspiration for a free, democratic republic in Iran. Madame Rajavi’s message to the world leaders, and especially calling upon the UK to take the lead in Europe, to have this rightful policy to be actually in practice, which is supporting the third option and the Iranian people's major demand for change.”
Former MEP and Coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change (CiC), Struan Stevenson said:
“Every time there is the faintest hint of collapse of the mullahs regime, up pops Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah. The Shah's hated secret police SAVAK, routinely tortured dissidents to obtain false confessions before they were executed. The Iranian people today suffer the same vicious brutality under the IRGC and the thuggish Basij militia.
“It is no wonder that the people of Iran reject both the current criminal theocracy and the past cruel monarchy. The Iranian people seek a leader who reflects their values, struggles, and aspirations for a truly democratic society, and they have recognised Maryam Rajavi as that leader.”
Other speakers included: Lord Singh of Wimbledon CBE; Rt Hon. Lord Hacking; Baroness Redfern; Rt Hon. Lord Hamilton of Epsom; Lord Bellingham; Viscount Hanworth; Rt Hon. Lord Whitty; Ben Lake MP; Masoud Zabeti, President of the Committee of the Anglo-Iranian Lawyers.
British Committee for Iran Freedom
16 July 2025