Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Iran's reported removal of surveillance cameras from the nuclear sites in that country; and what assessment they have made of the impact that this will have on the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to track Iran's advance towards a nuclear programme.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Iran has confirmed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) its decision to end all JCPoA-related transparency measures. The removal of IAEA surveillance cameras jeopardises the ability of the IAEA to restore continuity of knowledge on key parts of the Iranian nuclear programme, including on the production of centrifuges. We urge Iran to cease its nuclear escalation and urgently take the deal on the table that would return it to its JCPoA commitments, and bring US back to the deal.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to re-introduce sunset clauses to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA).
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit 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 sunset clauses will remain in a restored JCPoA.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the adequacy of oversight of Iran's nuclear programme in the renegotiated Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA) agreement; and (2) the possibility of re-imposing sanctions in the event of breach of the agreement.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit 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 ability to re-impose sanctions in response to Iranian non-compliance with its commitments is a key part of the JCPoA, and the process for doing this is set out in the JCPoA and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of cash that will become available to Iran in the event of the renegotiated Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA) agreement coming into effect.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit 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: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the funding of (1) the Iranian Foundation Bonyad Taavon Basij, and (2) the Basij Resistance force; and what assessment they have made of the reported use of child soldiers by that force.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Should the deal in Vienna be concluded, the UK would not lift any sanctions. The UK maintains a number of sanctions consistent with the nuclear deal, including sanctions related to human rights, proliferation and terrorism. The full UK Sanctions List is available on the GOV.UK website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), which provides details of those individuals and entities designated under sanctions regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We keep all regimes and designations under close review.
The UK will continue to condemn the IRGC's destabilising regional activities and maintains a range of sanctions aimed at deterring such behaviour. This includes IRGC political, financial and military support to a number of militant and proscribed groups including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, and militias in Iraq. The UK stands firmly against recruitment and use of child soldiers in conflict, as outlined by the Paris Principles which the government has endorsed.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions, if any, they have placed on the Central Bank of Iran and the National Development Fund; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of those sanctions; what assessment they have made of the possibility of lifting those sanctions in a re-negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA); and what assessment they have made of the reported funding by those entities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Quds Force, and Hezbollah.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Should the deal in Vienna be concluded, the UK would not lift any sanctions. The UK maintains a number of sanctions consistent with the nuclear deal, including sanctions related to human rights, proliferation and terrorism. The full UK Sanctions List is available on the GOV.UK website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), which provides details of those individuals and entities designated under sanctions regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We keep all regimes and designations under close review.
The UK will continue to condemn the IRGC's destabilising regional activities and maintains a range of sanctions aimed at deterring such behaviour. This includes IRGC political, financial and military support to a number of militant and proscribed groups including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, and militias in Iraq. The UK stands firmly against recruitment and use of child soldiers in conflict, as outlined by the Paris Principles which the government has endorsed.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions, if any, they have placed on the Iranian Foundation Bonyad Taavon Basij; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of any such sanctions; and what assessment they have made of the possibility of lifting any such sanctions in a re-negotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (JCPOA).
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Should the deal in Vienna be concluded, the UK would not lift any sanctions. The UK maintains a number of sanctions consistent with the nuclear deal, including sanctions related to human rights, proliferation and terrorism. The full UK Sanctions List is available on the GOV.UK website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), which provides details of those individuals and entities designated under sanctions regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We keep all regimes and designations under close review.
The UK will continue to condemn the IRGC's destabilising regional activities and maintains a range of sanctions aimed at deterring such behaviour. This includes IRGC political, financial and military support to a number of militant and proscribed groups including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, and militias in Iraq. The UK stands firmly against recruitment and use of child soldiers in conflict, as outlined by the Paris Principles which the government has endorsed.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent Russian demands in negotiations with Iran towards a new Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). There is a fair and comprehensive deal on the table which would reverse Iran's nuclear programme, return its programme to strict JCPoA limits, and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It would also provide economic benefit to the Iranian people.
The sanctions in place on Russia due to their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine are entirely separate to the Iran nuclear deal. We reject attempts to exploit JCPoA negotiations to obtain assurances that are separate to the JCPoA. We urge all parties to focus on rapidly concluding the deal and implementing it in full.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the nuclear security risk of continuing negotiations with Iran towards the return of the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) agreement, given the potential threat of the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPoA). There is a fair and comprehensive deal on the table which would reverse Iran's nuclear programme, return its programme to strict JCPoA limits, and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It would also provide economic benefit to the Iranian people.
We urge all parties to focus on rapidly concluding the deal and implementing it in full.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the appointment of Ahmad Vahidi as Minister of the Interior in the government of Iran.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have always been clear that Iran must uphold its international legal obligations, including conducting thorough and independent investigations into suspected human rights violations, both past and present. We have called and will continue to call President Raisi and his government, including the Minister of Interior Ahmad Vahidi, to set Iran on a different course. This includes committing to improving human rights in Iran.