(Blackpool South)
(Con): The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has sown death
and destruction across the middle east and has oppressed its own
citizens simply for calling for basic human rights protections.
However, I am afraid that the issue is now coming much closer to
home, because there are growing and well-documented concerns that
the IRGC is expanding its activities here in the UK, with 15
recent assassinations foiled, extremism promoted in religious
centres and the deplorable intimidation of journalists. Will the
Leader of the House facilitate a debate in Government time about
proscribing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation?
: I thank my hon. Friend
for raising this important point. This issue is raised
frequently, not only at business questions, but at other times
across this House every week. Vahid Beheshti is currently on the
29th day of a hunger strike to highlight the exact issue that my
hon. Friend raises. His motivation for this, which was echoed in
my hon. Friend’s question, is this organisation’s actions, not
just in Iran, but elsewhere in the world, including Ukraine and
the United Kingdom. It is hunting down people who criticise the
regime, kidnapping them and engaging in other forms of
intimidation. I am sure that if my hon. Friend applied for a
debate, it would be extremely well attended.
