Iran: UN Climate Conference 2021

(asked on 20th September 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the UK's reputation of the issue of an invitation to Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi to attend the COP26 summit, in light of Mr Raisi's involvement in serious human rights violations.


Answered by
James Cleverly Portrait
James Cleverly
Home Secretary
This question was answered on 23rd September 2021

COP26 invitations are controlled by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and, as such, the hosting state does not determine invitations. Iran matters to the global climate agenda, and we will use diplomacy to achieve our objectives. To advance these objectives, the UK Government has invited Iran to attend the COP26 World Leader Summit. The UK has also designated Iran as a Human Rights Priority Country and we will use all appropriate opportunities to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor human rights record, including during the United Nations General Assembly session. We call on President Raisi to set Iran on a different course, which includes committing to improving human rights in Iran.

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