British-Iranians are demonstrating on the streets of the United Kingdom in defiance of the Iranian regime, despite living in fear of reprisals against themselves and their families back home. The expatriate community has told of being cut off from relatives inside Iran for weeks, as the clerical government intensifies its violent suppression of dissent.
Living in Fear, Speaking Out in London
Thousands joined demonstrations in London over the weekend, where flags of the Islamic Republic and images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei were burned. The protests come as the human rights situation in Iran deteriorates sharply, with one activist group reporting that 490 demonstrators and 48 security personnel have been killed, and over 10,600 people arrested in just two weeks of unrest.
Haleh Blake, 39, who co-founded the group United4Mahsa after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, expressed her personal terror. ‘I am terrified I will “disappear”,’ she said. ‘If we don’t succeed I’ll need to change my name and get surgery done.’ However, she stressed that her fear pales in comparison to protestors facing ‘showers of bullets’ in Iran itself.
She noted a key difference from the 2022 protests: a unifying figure in Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince, whose calls for democratic change are being chanted by crowds. ‘We want a democratic secular country – that is the message from inside Iran,’ Ms Blake stated.
A Plea for Western Support and Intervention
Another activist, Ellie Borhan, 43, founder of the Stage of Freedom group which organised a protest outside the Iranian Embassy, described the anguish caused by internet blackouts. ‘We have family members attending the protests and we have no idea if they are alive. We are totally disconnected,’ she said.
Ms Borhan, who has received numerous death threats for her work, called directly on former US President Donald Trump to act ‘sooner rather than later’ by striking Iranian military targets used to crush dissent. She also urged the UK government to show stronger support, referencing Britain's historical role in Iran. ‘Now the UK should say enough is enough, innocent people are dying,’ she appealed.
This call aligns with heightened international tension. Trump has posted on social media that ‘Iran is looking at FREEDOM’ and that the USA stands ready to help, while the White House has reportedly begun preliminary discussions on potential strikes.
The Dilemma of Foreign Intervention and UK Government Stance
While many protestors desire stronger Western backing, some express deep ambivalence about military action. One unnamed British-Iranian protestor acknowledged that while ‘no one wants to see their country bombed’, US action might help topple what he called an ‘incredibly weak and hugely stretched’ regime.
Conversely, a 66-year-old expat who witnessed the 1979 revolution warned that foreign intervention often ‘causes a curse’. He advocated for building a proper, home-grown opposition, stating, ‘We cannot rush it. We have to be more creative.’
The UK government, through Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, stated its desire for a peaceful transition of power in Iran, with the immediate priority being to stem the violence. In a joint statement with French and German leaders, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was ‘deeply concerned’ about reports of violence by Iranian security forces and urged restraint.
Despite the risks and complex geopolitics, the British-Iranian community in London remains resolute, driven by what one protestor described as a ‘constant sense of guilt’ about the massacre unfolding in their homeland, and a determination to use their freedom in the UK to amplify the voices of those fighting inside Iran.
