UK wants ‘peaceful transition’ in Iran as violent crackdown continues

The UK wants to see a “peaceful transition” of power in Iran, a Cabinet minister said as the Tehran regime continued to violently crack down on protests.

More than a hundred people have been killed and thousands detained in the uprising against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rule.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the UK’s priority was to “stem the violence”.

She told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “The British Government has always viewed Iran as a hostile state.

“We know that they pose a security threat in the Middle East and beyond and we know that they have been a repressive regime in terms of their own population.

“And so I think the priority, as of today, is to try and stem the violence that is happening in Iran at the moment.”

She added: “It’s a concerning situation there and we would like to see anything that happens in future involving a peaceful transition where people can enjoy fundamental freedoms and we see proper democratic values back in the heart of Iran.”

Iran has warned it will target US troops and Israel if Donald Trump carries out his threat of military action against the Tehran regime.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said it would be right for the US to help oust the Islamic Republic’s leadership and indicated she would support RAF involvement if necessary.

She told BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “You’ve seen the recent RAF strikes, for instance, in Syria. Without over speculating – we are talking about hypothetical situations – we have worked in alliance with other countries.

“I think this has to be something that we do with a broad coalition of countries. That is the right way to do it, and to make sure that we create a stable Iran.

“The worst possible thing would be for this to escalate to a point where the situation gets worse, not better.”

She said Iran would “very happily wipe out the UK if it felt it could get away with it” and “I don’t have an issue with removing a regime that is trying to harm us”.

Iran has “terrorist outposts with Hezbollah all across the world” and “I don’t think a lot of people realise just how scary the Iranian regime is and just how far it has spread its tentacles”.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has praised the bravery of those taking to the streets in Iran.

She said: “It takes real courage to speak up in an authoritarian system, especially for young women, but it should not require courage just to make your voice heard.

“These are fundamental rights: free speech; peaceful assembly; and the exercise of those rights should never come with the threat of violence or reprisals.”

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said: “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”

Protests in Iran began on December 28 over the ailing economy and have transformed into the most significant challenge to the regime for several years.

The internet and telephone lines have been cut off, but footage of events in Tehran and other cities has made it to social media.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the number of confirmed fatalities had risen to 116, with 2,638 people detained.