On Thursday, March 14, 2026, the conference “Iran: Toward a Democratic Republic” was held at the British Parliament, with the participation of prominent members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. At this conference, the representatives welcomed the announcement of the Provisional Government by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, describing it as a courageous step toward transferring sovereignty to the Iranian people.
The speakers emphasized the eventual end of the religious dictatorship and rejected any return to monarchy, calling for the official recognition of the Provisional Government and the closure of the regime’s embassy in London.
At the conference, Baroness Verma, member of the House of Lords and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development in 2016, was also present and delivered a speech, the full text of which is provided below.
Baroness Verma: The 10-Point Plan Empowers Iranian Women to Break Gender Apartheid
My dear sister, my friend, honorable and noble colleagues, distinguished guests, members of the Anglo-Iranian community. It is a privilege to be here today at this timely meeting, and I warmly welcome you all. My special appreciation goes to my dear friend Maryam, who has been stalwart in this fight for all the years I have known her. I warmly welcome the true pioneer for women’s rights and democracy in Iran and the Middle East.
As you, Madam Rajavi, stressed at the international conference on the 21st of February in Paris, in anticipation of International Women’s Day, a generation of women has taken responsibility in leadership roles within the Iranian resistance. In this uprising, women have shown they are not just powerless victims, but the very force for change.
For this reason, the organized resistance has withstood the regime’s massacres and terrorism for over 40 years, and Resistance Units across Iran are propelling the popular movement for a democratic revolution. Even in the face of unimaginable brutality, Iranian women have consistently led these efforts. They have played a pivotal and historic role in the struggle for democracy, freedom, and justice in their country.
What I want to emphasize today is that any viable democratic alternative for Iran’s future must not only advocate but actively implement complete gender equality in the realms of political, social, cultural, and economic rights, and equal participation of women in leadership. This is precisely the vision Maryam’s ten-point plan offers, giving the women and girls in Iran the means and opportunity to dismantle gender apartheid in Tehran and shape a brighter future for the whole of Iran.
Recently, the NCRI announced a provisional government based on Madam Rajavi’s ten-point plan to transfer sovereignty to the people of Iran and establish a democratic republic. With this provisional government, and with the courageous women and girls constituting nearly half of Iran’s population, there is reason for hope and optimism.
If we stand with them and provide both moral and practical support, the Iranian people are united in their determination to end the brutal and misogynistic regime, reject all forms of dictatorship, including the Shah’s, and establish a truly democratic republic. This reality is rightly recognized by the NCRI’s historic announcement of the provisional government, which rejects foreign wars and appeasement and relies entirely on the Iranian people and women’s leadership for its success.
I commend this step and urge the UK government to recognize it and to engage with you, Maryam, exploring a practical way to support the Iranian people in their pursuit of freedom and democracy.
Our government can take immediate action. It can proscribe the IRGC, responsible for countless extrajudicial killings and terror exports.
Secondly, the UK should collaborate with its allies at the UN to develop a mechanism holding the Iranian regime accountable for its crimes against humanity.
Thirdly, the Foreign Office should expel the regime’s ambassador to the UK and close the embassy. Above all, our government must continue to provide backing to the women and people of Iran to help tip the balance of power in their favor.
My friend, my sister, and all Iran’s women watching today, please know this Parliament stands with you in your fundamental fight for freedom and democracy. Let me assure you that your voice is echoed and represented by the NCRI every day in Parliament. You have all our commitment and solidarity until Iran is free. I look forward to seeing you.
