Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the cessation of Iranian sponsorship of extremist Islamist groups is a UK demand in the ongoing negotiations in Vienna on the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

We are at the end of negotiations on restoring the JCPoA. A viable deal was put on the table in March which would have returned Iran to full compliance with its JCPoA commitments and returned the US to the deal. We were clear that a return to the JCPoA could pave the way for further diplomatic efforts to address outstanding regional and security concerns. Iran has refused to seize a critical diplomatic opportunity to conclude the deal with continued demands beyond the scope of the JCPoA. If a deal is not struck the JCPoA will collapse. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.

We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's destabilising activity throughout the region including its political, financial and military support to a number of militant groups. The former Foreign Secretary last spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Abdollahian on 14 February 2022. They discussed a range of issues including the need for Iran to cease its destabilising activity in the region. We continue to work with our partners and allies to address and attribute this activity where it occurs.