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Why is there no statement about supporting regime change in Iran? And why are there no comments about the international law violations by the Iranian regime as it cracks down on protesters?
“Starmer’s silence on Iran is shocking,” the UK’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel opined on Saturday, referring to a dramatic absence of commentary from British politicians and British media regarding the weeklong anti-regime protests in Iran.
“With Iran’s cruel authoritarian regime emboldened by its brutal crackdown of freedom and democracy advocates within the country, Britain stands in silence as we see the chilling images of protesters being silenced and young activists being detained,” she added.
“All this is not happening in secret but in plain sight, which is why the lack of robust action and condemnation by Starmer’s feeble government is shocking. Senior figures in the Labour Government seem unwilling and incapable of stepping up.”
Mass demonstrations broke out across Iran on December 28, with citizens protesting over the collapse of the rial and soaring inflation, as well as dissatisfaction with the Islamic regime.
These are the largest anti-regime protests since 2022’s Mahsa Amini protests. And yet there have been no tweets from Prime Minister Keir Starmer nor Yvette Cooper showing solidarity with the Iranian people or condemning the brutal Islamic regime’s crackdown on protests.
The BBC – the country’s state broadcaster – has only published four articles. If one were relying on the BBC for coverage, one could be forgiven for not knowing anything was happening in Iran at all. A large group of Iranian and Jewish protesters actually gathered outside the BBC HQ on Sunday, chanting, “Ayatollah BBC, shame on you.”
Yet when there is any development in Israel or Palestine, Cooper, David Lammy, and Starmer – and of course the BBC – scramble to chime in.
And it’s not just the BBC. The Guardian, which has dedicated itself to the noble task of Israel-bashing, focused its coverage on an op-ed by Iran’s foreign ministerAbbas Araghchi about how “Israel’s recklessness is a threat to all.”
The Jerusalem Post has seen countless images on Iranian citizen Telegram channels and X/Twitter accounts showing horrific injuries, including an X-ray of a woman with hundreds of metal bearings in her skull. Yet, according to The Guardian, Israel is the greatest threat.
People stand outside the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) headquarters in London, (credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)
So why the silence?
One reason could be that British politicians and British media view Iran’s internal issues abstractly, whereas the Israel-Palestine conflict is seen as somewhat symbiotic with British history and policy and therefore of domestic importance. The last two years have shown that Israel-Palestine developments have a strong impact on British domestic policy and are treated as a Westminster issue.
Iranian internal struggles, on the other hand, are regarded at a distance. The UK sometimes takes the side of quiet diplomacy, fearing that any public condemnation of internal Iranian affairs may jeopardize any future negotiations.
Some have said that British politicians are playing a waiting game, fearful to chip in before more is clear. Others argued that they do not want to comment on foreign regime changes. However, this argument does not stand up to scrutiny.
After the US’s capture and indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Starmer and Cooper both immediately came out with statements about endorsing “transition of power” in Venezuela, so long as it is with respect to international law. Why is there no statement about supporting regime change in Iran? And why are there no comments about the international law violations by the Iranian regime as it cracks down on protesters?
The BBC has given some dubious reasons for its lack of coverage. BBC World Affairs reporter John Simpson responded to queries by saying it is “very difficult for news organizations to get correspondents in [Iran]. The BBC is banned, and so are most others. It’s a bit like Gaza.”
Not being able to enter Gaza has not stopped the BBC from writing incessantly about it over the last two years, so why this would be a barrier to covering Iran is unclear.
“Understood, but BBC can report on the tide of social media posts, many of which are obviously authentic – but the total blackout on the story is absolutely astounding and irresponsible,” retorted historian Simon Schama, highlighting the double standards.
The National Union for Democracy in Iran – which delivered a groundbreaking report on Iran’s web of influence in the UK last year – magnanimously offered to help the BBC with its coverage. “We are analyzing, monitoring, verifying, and translating protest videos and slogans on a daily basis. We are happy to help.”If the Islamic Republic falls, it will change the future of not just the Iranian people but the entire world. Regardless of the outcome, the UK will be directly affected. Surely the BBC wants to be leading the tide of reporting on this? Surely Britain’s government wants to preemptively assure the Iranian people of its support, should the regime fall.
The Iranian people are asking to be heard. The question remains of why key British establishments are choosing not to give them a voice.
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