Mentions:
1: Julian Lewis (Con - New Forest East) international intelligence partnerships, and on a very well-received report on China, with a similar one on Iran - Speech Link
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not proscribed the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
While the UK Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.
The UK Government has long been clear about our concerns over the malign activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The UK maintains sanctions on over 400 Iranian individuals and entities covering human rights abuses and nuclear proliferation. The Government has also imposed sanctions on the IRGC in its entirety and on several senior security and political figures in Iran, including senior commanders within the IRGC and its Basij force.
On 24 January 2024, we took coordinated action with the US and imposed sanctions on several members of the IRGC for their involvement in plots to assassinate individuals on UK soil. Following Iran’s attack against Israel on 13 April, the UK has sanctioned a number of individuals and companies with links to Iran’s UAV and missile industries, as well as leading Iranian military figures and entities that have enabled Iran’s destabilising regional activity.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religious belief for (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Iran.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns the continued repression of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran. At the 55th Human Rights Council, we issued a statement highlighting the discrimination faced by Christians on a daily basis, whether in accessing education, jobs, or places of worship. We co-sponsored the Iran Human Rights Resolution at UNGA 78, calling for Iran to eliminate, in law and in practice, all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion or belief. We continue to promote the rights of religious minorities in Iran, including through the Special Envoy on FoRB Fiona Bruce MP.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of Iran firing nuclear missiles at Israel; and what are the implications for UK policy of such action.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are determined to use all diplomatic options available to ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. We condemned in the strongest terms Iran's direct attack against Israel on 13 April, which was a dangerous escalation.
The UK will continue to stand up for Israel's security as well as the security of all our regional partners and we are working with our allies to deescalate the situation.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Human Rights Watch report "The Boot on my Neck": Iranian Authorities' Crime of Persecution Against Baha'is in Iran, published on 1 April.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the work of Human Rights Watch to highlight how Iran continues to deny Baha'is their fundamental rights in their report, "The Boot on my Neck". At the 55th Human Rights Council, we issued a statement highlighting the scale and severity of freedom of religion or belief abuses globally, including against Baha'is in Iran. We co-sponsored the Iran Human Rights Resolution at UNGA 78, which called on Iran to eliminate, in law and practice, all forms of discrimination, on the basis of religion or belief. We are committed to promoting religious freedom and will continue to work with partners, and the UK Baha'i community, to promote the rights of Baha'is in Iran.
May. 22 2024
Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 11 April 2024 to 15 May 2024Found: Gabon 616 Gambia Georgia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Haiti Honduras India Indonesia* Iran
Oral Evidence May. 22 2024
Committee: Treasury Committee (Department: HM Treasury)Found: pure sanctions regimes, and keep on top of those and be sure that you are not breaching Syria or Iran
May. 22 2024
Source Page: London Defence Conference 2024 Defence Secretary keynoteFound: Nuclear talks were ongoing with Iran that would lead to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal.
May. 22 2024
Source Page: Confirm a notarial or document service is not availableFound: Consular Section Shahrah-e-Iran Clifton Karachi 75600 Pakistan Tel: +92 (0)21 3582 7000 Fax: +92 (0)
Mentions:
1: Viscount Stansgate (Lab - Excepted Hereditary) assessment they have made of the implications for UK foreign policy of the death of the President of Iran - Speech Link
2: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con - Life peer) Our policy towards Iran has not changed. - Speech Link
3: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con - Life peer) this by, for example, immediately prohibiting IAEA access to Iran. - Speech Link