Labour is accused of covering up details about Government officials attending an Iranian embassy event to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution despite the regime slaughtering thousands of protesters. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel is angered the Foreign Office has refused to disclose the rank and number of officials who attended the event. She has also demanded answers about whether the taxpayer-funded staff raised concerns about the “slaughter of civilians” at the embassy gathering on February 12.

The Government’s own assessment of the killings in Iran states: “The estimated number of deaths, predominantly of protesters, numbered between approximately 12,000 and 20,000 by mid-January 2026.”

Dame Priti told the Sunday Express: “It is outrageous that officials attended an event celebrating the Iranian revolution just weeks after the regime slaughtered tens of thousands of brave protesters. The least Labour could do is apologise and explain how this was allowed to happen. Instead, they have stonewalled our questions and tried to keep the facts hidden. As usual with Labour, they are running scared of scrutiny. The Foreign Secretary should tell the public why she is happy for her civil servants to go to parties hosted by the Ayatollah’s regime – and reveal what other events they might have been to on her watch. Labour cannot be trusted to put Britain’s interest first.”

Dame Priti wants to know who authorised the civil servants’ attendance and whether they raised the issue of British nationals detained in Iran.

In her letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, she said: “Paying homage to a barbaric regime while it is busy slaughtering its own citizens is not in the typical diplomatic job description.”

The former Home Secretary and International Development Secretary added that “national day events” at the Russian embassy are boycotted and there was no need to attend this one.

She said: “Clearly, there must be some consequences after such an appalling failure of judgement that has caused such embarrassment to our country.”

Foreign minister Hamish Falconer responded to Dame Priti’s letter, stating: The UK’s approach to diplomatic engagement is longstanding and clear. Maintaining diplomatic presence, including attendance at official events, is a routine and well-established part of how the [Foreign Office] protects UK interests and advances our objectives overseas, even where relations are difficult or deeply strained. Such engagement does not imply endorsement of a host government’s actions or policies. The UK continues to condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s human rights abuses, its destabilising activity in the region and its reckless behaviour that risks further escalation. Our diplomatic engagement enables us to press these messages directly, raise concerns where necessary, and support British nationals and UK interests, while remaining clear-eyed about the nature of the Iranian regime.”

In reply, Dame Priti said he had refused to answer her specific questions.

She wrote: “The attendance by FCDO officials at this event at a time when Iran is threatening our interests and in the immediate aftermath of them massacring thousands of citizens campaigning for freedom is deeply embarrassing and undermines our national interests. The public deserve answers and transparency not obfuscation.”