The demonstrations by the women of Iran are morally justified and incredibly brave in the face of a repressive regime. Are we waiting for the USA to decide before acting ourselves? Wouldn’t it be better if we led the world and supported the Iranian women and their supporters?

I suspect we all, here in this Chamber, understand that the demonstrations by the women of Iran are morally justified. And that they are incredibly brave in the face of a repressive regime.

I’d like to ask, how does this affect the nuclear deal? At the moment, they don’t try for enriched uranium and we don’t use sanctions.

Will there be additional targeted sanctions of any kind to show that the UK is a defender of human rights and freedom for all of society?

With inflation in Iran of 40%, it’s likely that the richest, those in power, might bank with us. So might there be measures on Iranian private assets here in UK?

Might we demand that Iran stops providing drones to Russia, to be used against the Ukrainian people?

Are we waiting for the USA to decide before acting ourselves? Wouldn’t it be better if we led the world and supported the Iranian women and their supporters?

At some point we have to decide if we want to protect economic gain by abandoning the women, or protect democracy and support them.

I’d like to repeat the shouts of Iran’s women: Women, Life, Freedom!

Zan Zendaygee Arzardee!