Oral Answers to Questions

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts

Tuesday 25th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the political and security situation in the middle east.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

13. What recent assessment he has made of the potential risk of military conflict between the US and Iran.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

We are very concerned about the situation in the middle east and the risks of an accidental war. We have made serious efforts to de-escalate tension, including the visit by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East to Tehran at the end of last week.

[Mr Hunt]

The US is our closest ally. We talk to it the whole time. We consider any requests that it makes carefully, but I cannot envisage any situation in which it requests, or we agree to, any moves to go to war.

[Daniel Zeichner]

I think the whole House appreciates the efforts that were made by the Minister for the Middle East at the weekend to de-escalate this crisis, but can the Secretary of State tell us what work is being done with the UN to make further progress?

[Mr Hunt]

The hon. Gentleman is right to ask that question. We have been doing extensive work. The message that we are sending with our partners in the European Union, particularly the French and the Germans, is that, with respect to Iran’s nuclear programme, this is a crucial week. Iran has said that it will reach the limits of what it is allowed for low-enriched uranium by 27 June, which is later on this week. It is absolutely essential that it sticks to that deal in its entirety for it to be preserved and for us to have a nuclear-free middle east.