Speech given by Colin Fox at the EGGEC march in Edinburgh in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against war with Iran, 07/03/2026. A full video of the unabridged version of this speech can be found on Scottish Socialist Party social media pages.
I’m Colin Fox from the Scottish Socialist Party. I’m standing for parliament in the Holyrood elections on May 7th as a friend of the Palestinian people and of the Iranian people.
A vote for the Scottish Socialist Party on May 7th is a vote to Stop the war on Gaza, to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories and to help provide a state for the Palestinian people like they were promised 40 years ago. It is a vote to tell Keir Starmer and John Swinney that have not done anywhere near enough to secure for the Palestinian people those rights the rest of the world take for granted; equality, citizenship, work, healthcare, education, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness.
Like you my thoughts are with the families of the 75,000 innocent Palestinians killed in Gaza and I want those responsible for their murder brought to justice.
And today my heart goes out to the innocent Iranian people caught up in the illegal US war there.
The Scottish Socialist Party believes the war the United States and Israeli governments launched against Iran is a breach of international law which must see its perpetrators brought to justice. Their actions are both destructive and politically foolish in the extreme. They seem to believe the political dictat that claim ‘MIGHT IS RIGHT!’
It is not. They are wrong, wrong, wrong, in what they are doing and mindless in what they think the outcome will be. They endanger the entire world by their actions
Let me be clear, I do not support the repressive theocratic dictatorship in Iran. Nor do I support the restoration of the hated Pahlavi monarchy. I would much prefer a democratic, secular and yes, socialist Iran.
But, as a democrat and internationalist, I recognise and restate the fact that it is the right of the Iranian people ALONE to change their government, not the US, not Britain or anyone else – and I say that fully aware of the shameful part played by both in the overthrow of Iran’s only elected, secular, democratic government led by Mohammed Mossadeq in the 1950’s.
Friends, Iran is a wonderful country, the Iranian people are civilized, noble, cultured and proud. They have much to be proud of over centuries of civilisation, industry and development. It might even be argued there’s is the most important country in the entire Middle East – whilst I have no time for their leaders, they, the people, are no threat to me. They are my friends. And I feel for each and everyone of them today amid the tyranny and slaughter they face at the hands of their oppressors.
Iran should be a prosperous and progressive democratic nation fully entitled to develop civilian nuclear power if it so wishes. At the same time, I am sure they share our desire for a world free of nuclear weapons – a world which we all should share and prosper in without fear of one another.
The actions of the US and Israel will horrify billions across the world and make it not a safer place, but a much more deadly one.
Free Palestine, Free Iran and Free Scotland. Thank you.