The UK government has said it wants to see a “peaceful transition” of power in Iran as mass protests continue and tensions rise over the possibility of US military intervention.
Speaking after Donald Trump warned that Washington could use force to support Iranian protesters, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said Britain’s priority was to see an end to the violence and a move towards stability, while stopping short of backing regime change by force.
UK Position on Iran Unrest
Alexander told Sky News that Iran remains a hostile state which poses a security threat in the Middle East and represses its own people, but said the immediate focus must be on de-escalation.
“The priority is to try and stem the violence that is happening in Iran at the moment,” she said, declining to comment directly on US military plans.
Her comments came as Iranian security forces continue to crack down on nationwide demonstrations sparked by economic hardship and political repression, with dozens reported killed and thousands detained.
Badenoch Backs Regime Change
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch went further, saying she would have “no issue” with the removal of the Iranian regime and that US and allied involvement could be justified.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, she said Iran posed a direct threat to the UK and its allies.
“Iran would very happily wipe out the UK if it felt it could get away with it. It has tried to kill people on our soil. It is an enemy,” she said, referring to alleged Iranian-linked plots in Britain and the regime’s support for militant groups such as Hezbollah.
Badenoch said that if intervention could protect civilians and weaken a hostile state, it could be the right course of action, while also warning against wider regional escalation.
Trump Threatens Military Support for Protesters
In the United States, former president Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran against using lethal force on demonstrators. On Friday, he said Iranian authorities were “in big trouble” and warned: “You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too.”
On Saturday, he posted on Truth Social that the US was “ready to help” and that Iran was “looking at freedom, perhaps like never before”.
Starmer Condemns Crackdown
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the killing of protesters and urged Iranian authorities to show restraint.
A government spokesperson said Britain was “deeply concerned by reports of violence against protesters in Iran who are exercising their legitimate right to peaceful protest” and that the situation was being closely monitored.
Rising Death Toll and Internet Blackout
Human rights groups say at least 62 people have been killed and more than 2,300 arrested in weeks of unrest, with demonstrations reported in all 31 provinces. An internet shutdown imposed by Iranian authorities has limited communication with the outside world, although videos circulating online show large crowds in Tehran chanting against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and calling for the return of the monarchy.
Threats to US and Israel
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has warned that US forces and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington carried out strikes, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The developments come as Western governments, including the UK, face renewed pressure to respond to Iran’s human rights record while balancing concerns over regional security, nuclear tensions and the risk of escalation across the Middle East.
