Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)

The analysis that I have seen suggests that this current situation has peaked, but our interpretation—I suspect it is shared across the House—is that that does not show any diminution in the desire of the protesters to see an improvement in their situation and their ability to live in freedom. It is because so many are losing their lives, and it is a decision to stay at home because of fear. Nobody really knows how this is going to progress, but there is no doubt, as the noble Lord says, that these protests have been far more wide ranging than those we have seen previously. Our position in relation to Iran would clearly change should there be a regime that enabled the population to live in freedom. Noble Lords know, because we have discussed this previously, that we take into account the fact that the regime in Iran weaponises things we say in order to stack up their false narrative when they purport that these protests are in some way orchestrated by external forces. Clearly they are not, but we need to take that into account. We also have British nationals being held in Iran, and we do not want to further jeopardise their situation. I agree with the noble Lord that this looks and feels very different from what we have seen before, and I think that perception will only increase once communication becomes possible again.