Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her Iranian counterparts on recommencing the 2015 nuclear deal between that country and other international counterparts.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
In a recent call with Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, the Foreign Secretary stressed the urgency to conclude the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) deal and make clear that there would not be a better deal on offer. The deal would provide a fair and comprehensive offer of US sanctions-lifting for the benefit of the Iranian people. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Asked by: David Lammy (Labour - Tottenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) the US and (b) Iran on negotiations to restore Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action compliance.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Foreign Secretary met US Secretary of State Blinken on 9 March and discussed negotiations on restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). They agreed on the urgency of concluding the deal in Vienna. The deal would provide a fair and comprehensive offer of US sanctions-lifting for the benefit of the Iranian people. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Foreign Secretary also underlined the urgency for concluding this deal in a recent call with Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, making clear that there would not be a better deal on offer.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
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 progress made towards a renewed nuclear deal with Iran during the Vienna talks.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We are in the final stage of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. This is the decision point. E3 negotiators are ready to return to Vienna and conclude the deal on the table.
We have worked intensively with JCPoA participants and the US to reach this stage.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for the Middle East Peace process of Iran’s potential non-adherence to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019 and its nuclear programme is more advanced today than it has ever been before. We urge Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and take the opportunity in front of them in the JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. Iran has also continued with its destabilising regional activities. The UK remains firmly committed to the two state solution as the best way to deliver Palestinian self-determination and ensure a safe and secure Israel.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that international sanctions are imposed on Iran in the event that that country refuses to dismantle its nuclear programme and cease its regional activities.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK has over 200 sanctions designations in place against Iran including in relation to human rights, nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This includes against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety. The UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran abides by international laws and norms and is held to account for its destabilising activity in the region.
We are currently engaged in negotiations in Vienna aimed at restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). A restored JCPoA would provide for Iran's civil nuclear needs. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, and Iran continues its nuclear escalation, Iran will be responsible for the collapse of the deal. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies, including sanctions.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will use the snapback provision to reimpose sanctions on Iran in the context of the recent trend of breaches of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by Iran.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019 and its nuclear programme is more advanced today than it has ever been before. We urge Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and take the opportunity in front of them in the JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, and Iran continues its nuclear escalation, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal.
In the event of the JCPoA collapsing, we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies, including sanctions.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) the US and (b) Iran on negotiations to restore Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action compliance.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Negotiations to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) are continuing in Vienna. On 10 December, the Foreign Secretary met E3 and US Foreign Ministers to discuss progress. I met them again on 20 January. We are resolute that Iran's continued nuclear escalation means that time is running out to conclude a deal. The Foreign Secretary continues to make this explicitly clear in her engagement with Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian.
Asked by: Jacob Young (Conservative - Redcar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency to effectively monitor Iran’s nuclear programme.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since July 2019. Iran's nuclear programme is now more advanced than it has ever been before. Since February 2020, Iran has significantly reduced IAEA access by withdrawing from JCPoA-agreed monitoring arrangements, and suspending its implementation of the Additional Protocol.
The UK has repeatedly made clear that Iran must fully co-operate with the IAEA, including on all issues related to the IAEA's separate safeguards investigation. Doing so is both a legally-binding obligation and essential to assuring the international community of the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.
Asked by: Brendan Clarke-Smith (Conservative - Bassetlaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports that Iran has begun enriching uranium to 20 per cent fissile purity at its nuclear facility in Fordow in breach of the JCPOA nuclear deal.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) at 60%, which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's increasing 60% stockpile is bringing Iran significantly closer to having fissile material which could be used for nuclear weapons.
We call upon Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and take the opportunity in front of them in the JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, and Iran continues its nuclear escalation, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal. Iran's nuclear escalation means we have weeks, not months, to restore the deal before the JCPoA's core non-proliferation benefits are lost and the deal collapses. In the event of the JCPoA collapsing, we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
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 implications for her policies on Iran's nuclear activity of the statement by the IAEA’s Director General that all countries that have enriched uranium to 60 per-cent fissile purity have gone on to produce nuclear weapons.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) at 60%, which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's increasing 60% stockpile is bringing Iran significantly closer to having fissile material which could be used for nuclear weapons.
We call upon Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and take the opportunity in front of them in the JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, and Iran continues its nuclear escalation, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal. Iran's nuclear escalation means we have weeks, not months, to restore the deal before the JCPoA's core non-proliferation benefits are lost and the deal collapses. In the event of the JCPoA collapsing, we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.