Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of possible Iranian reactions to increased sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) the E3+3 committed, for the JPoA's duration, not to introduce new nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. The Government believes that further sanctions legislation between now and 30 June - when the JPoA expires - would severely undermine Iranian confidence in the negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear agreement and would risk derailing the process. This is why the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made the case against new sanctions legislation on his recent visit to Washington.