On May 31, 2025, Lord Steve McCabe delivered a powerful message of solidarity during a major international gathering hosted by the Iranian Resistance near Paris. The event brought together lawmakers, political leaders, and human rights advocates from around the world to support democratic change in Iran and recognize the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) as the legitimate alternative to the ruling theocracy.
Lord McCabe, a long-time supporter of the Iranian cause and member of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, applauded the growing international consensus against the regime, citing support from over 4,000 parliamentarians worldwide — including more than 600 from the UK. He welcomed recent UK government measures to confront the regime’s agents and prescribe the IRGC as a terrorist entity, calling them long overdue.
He urged the British government to go further: to officially recognize Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan and begin dialogue with the NCRI. McCabe emphasized that only the Iranian people can shape their future — and no group is better positioned to represent their democratic aspirations than the NCRI.
He concluded with a warning: ignoring this organized democratic force would be a strategic error. “Iran will be free,” he declared.
The full transcript of the speech follows.
.@steve_mccabe at the second #FreeIran2025 conf: There is a growing support for NCRI in the British parliament & a growing call for proscription of the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Globally, more than 4,000 parliamentarians have expressed support for @Maryam_Rajavi 10-point plan. pic.twitter.com/NBVEH6Om66
— Shahin Gobadi (@gobadi) May 31, 2025
President-elect Madam Rajavi, honorable colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to join you again in the home of the Iranian resistance alongside friends from all around the world.
I’m proud to be a long-time member of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, over many years now, both as a member of parliament and more recently as a member of the House of Lords.
Since its founding by the late Lord Corbett and subsequent leadership of the late Sir David Amess, our committee has consistently called for a firm approach to Iran’s regime by proscribing the IRGC and supporting the Iranian people and their organized resistance in establishing a secular democratic republic.
Today, that position represents a growing international consensus reflected in the support of over 4,000 parliamentarians and about a hundred former leaders globally.
And as we’ve just heard, now over 600. I think it was 500 when the book was presented the other week, now over 600, British Parliamentarians and rising and rising.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has now promised a new legal framework, which will give British ministers the powers to proscribe the IRGC, something we have called for a very long time.
This follows moves to place the IRGC and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence on the foreign influence registration scheme, resulting in anyone acting for or on behalf of the Iranian regime, the IRGC or MOIS being forced to register or face up to five years in prison.
These are welcome and long overdue measures. The IRGC is a terrorist organization and should be banned across the globe.
Lord @steve_mccabe: If there’s any doubt, look at how the regime fears the #NCRIAlternative—its #MEKResistanceUnits, youth support, and the truck drivers’ strike. The response? Intimidation, brutality, and threats to seize their trucks and fuel permits.
https://t.co/DjqEiORA9p— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 31, 2025
As the British as the British government now acts against the regime, I urge it to take the next step, support the Iranian people’s fight for a democratic future. That means recognizing Madame Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan.
And the NCRI is the only viable democratic alternative. It also means opening dialogue and cooperation with the NCRI to hold the Mullahs’ regime to account. If there’s any doubt, just look at the film we’ve just seen.
Just look at how the regime fears the NCRI, its growing Resistance Units, and the support it enjoys amongst young people. And of course, as we’ve heard about the truck strike, look at the way they have responded to the strikers.
Intimidation, brutality, threats to take away their trucks and their fuel permits. This is how that regime behaves. We did hear earlier about a Tuesday statement.
I won’t read it, but we did have another statement earlier this morning from your friends in the British Trade Union movement and Friends of Iran, Lord Clark of Hampstead and Roger Lyons, who’ve been with us for very many years.
Britain needs to open discussions with the NCRI soon. Only the Iranian people can determine and shape Iran’s future. And no one is better prepared, more committed, more organized, and capable of representing and delivering on the people’s democratic aspirations than the NCRI and Madame Rajavi.
Failure to back this democratic force for change could be a huge strategic mistake.
A free and democratic Iran is what the Iranian people want, and it’s what the Middle East, Europe, and the world need. It will happen. Iran will be free.