Found: returns to many of the top countries of nationality for asylum seekers, such as Afghanistan or Iran

Found: Their ages ranged from 19 to 50, and countries of birth comprised Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey, Nigeria, Iran

Found: likely to have on dissidents protesting outside foreign embassies against authoritarian states such as Iran

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission status to visit the UK in each year since 2011; and if he will list the (a) names and (b) country of origin of those officials.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As set out in 2013 by the former Foreign Secretary William Hague, a special mission is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. Since starting to issue special mission status (SMS) certificates in 2013, the FCDO has given consent for 57 special mission status visits to the UK for the following officials and their delegations:

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Gender Apartheid Inquiry report Shattering Women's Rights, Shattering Lives: Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Inquiry Into The Situation Of Women And Girls In Afghanistan And Iran, published by the International Bar Association on 4 March, with particular reference to the forthcoming 79th meeting of the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee in April.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO is aware of the report. There are complex legal and political questions which arise in considering any new crime of 'gender apartheid'. We are considering these questions and consulting legal advisers and subject matter experts. The situations of women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran are distinct and we will consider the unique circumstances of each country when assessing the recommendations of the Inquiry.

We have repeatedly condemned Taliban and Iranian policies and actions that restrict the rights of women and girls. Officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers to reverse their harmful policies on women and girls. Since Iran's mass protests of 2022-23, we have sanctioned 94 individuals or entities for human rights abuses, including senior decision makers responsible for Iran's oppressive hijab law. We will continue to work with the international community to address women and girls' rights issues in Afghanistan and Iran.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to impede Hamas acquiring or retaining the resources to make war.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As we have said, removing Hamas' capacity to launch attacks against Israel and Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza are among the vital elements for a lasting peace.

The UK has already imposed sanctions on key figures in Hamas' leadership, disrupting the terrorist group's financial networks which sustain their operation, including from Iran. A third tranche of sanctions was announced by FCDO in January. On 27 March the UK announced further sanctions on individuals linked to a Hamas-supporting media network. The UK continues to work closely with our partners to identify further opportunities to disrupt Hamas' financial networks, including cutting off access to funding being used to carry out atrocities.

Baha'i, Iran

Found: (h) Democratic Republic of the Congo; (i) Egypt; (j) Eritrea; (k) Ethiopia; (l) Haiti; (m) Iran

Found: The scale and nature of Iran’s heinous assault – the first direct attack from Iran on Israeli soil -

Found: of great tension in the Middle East, this was a profoundly dangerous and unnecessary escalation by Iran

Found: Russia has violated UN resolutions by procuring weapons from North Korea and Iran to use in Ukraine:

Found: Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Haiti Honduras India Indonesia* Iran

Found: Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Haiti Honduras India Indonesia* Iran

Found: 3 Russia 87.9 4 UK 70 5 India 66.6 6 France 54.4 7 Germany 53.4 8 Japan 48.1 9 Saudi Arabia 45.6 10 Iran

Found: On Saturday evening, Iran sought to plunge the middle east into a new crisis.

Found: Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel.

Found: Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard.

Found: Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Haiti Honduras India Indonesia* Iran