2 March 2026
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev'd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani has spoken about the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel and the response of the Iranian regime.
Bishop Guli said:
"The attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel and the reprisals by the Iranian regime have brought a new wave of fear, uncertainty and in many cases devastation to the people of Iran and the whole middle east, with more nations and people now being dragged into the conflict.
"While the regime in Iran has done profound harm and is deeply unpopular, and while there will be some renewed hope for change, it is not at all clear where military intervention from the US and Israel will ultimately lead.
"I thank the Archbishop in Jerusalem for his letter to Christians this weekend and echo his call for us to pray for the protection of the innocent and for wisdom and sound mind for the political leaders whose decisions have brought about this profoundly dangerous situation.”
Statement and Question in Parliament
On the afernoon of 2 March, the Prime Minister made a statement in the House of Commons about the situation in Iran and the Middle East, which was later brought to the House of Lords for questions. Bishop Guli was present in the chamber and asked the following question:
"Some of your Lordships will know of my personal interest in this topic, having experienced first hand something of the brutality of the Iranian regime. Whilst I certainly wouldn’t lament the end of this regime, I share the concern expressed by those who believe that this war is neither legal nor necessary and that peace is best secured by returning to the negotiating table which was, incidentally, showing some signs of working. Would the Minister agree that while the Islamic Republic will certainly have been weakened by these strikes, the regime’s survival instinct is not to be underestimated? And would she agree that while Iranians must decide their own future, Western governments should be cautious about asking protestors to further degrade the regime’s capacity by protesting on the streets when we know the Iranian security service will likely use that as a pretext for intensified repression? A bloody descent into a Syrian style civil war is in no ones’ interest and is best avoided."
Further information
- The Archbishop in Jerusalem's letter can be read here
- On Sunday1 March, Bishop Guli was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme about the situation, which can be listened to here.
- Church Times, article of 2 March, in which Bishop Guli is quoted can be read here
- Premier Christian News inteview with Bishop Guli about the conflict
