Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Priti Patel Excerpts
Thursday 15th May 2025

(1 day, 20 hours ago)

Written Corrections
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
David Lammy Portrait Mr Lammy
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Iran is now producing roughly one significant quantity of highly enriched uranium every six weeks. Iran’s enriched uranium is 40 times above the limit in the joint comprehensive plan of action—the deal that we struck with Iran, which I have in front of me.

Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel (Witham) (Con)
- Hansard - -

The regime in Tehran is responsible for so much of the appalling bloodshed and conflict in the middle east. It poses a direct threat to Britain and on British soil, as we have seen from the recent arrests of Iranian nationals in counter-terrorism operations. Has the Foreign Secretary summoned the Iranian ambassador to express concerns and to explain what has been going on on British soil? What discussions have taken place with our allies in addition to the nuclear talks that he has just referred to? What is the position of our partners in the region on the very specific threats that Iran is posing and demonstrating with its dissidents on UK soil? When will the Government come forward with a comprehensive and clear strategy on dealing with Iran?

David Lammy Portrait Mr Lammy
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The right hon. Lady is right. On 3 May, counter-terrorism police arrested eight individuals, including seven Iranian nationals, as part of two separate police investigations. Of course the Minister responsible for the middle east, my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Mr Falconer), has spoken to the Israeli ambassador.

[Official Report, 13 May 2025; Vol. 767, c. 190.]

Written correction submitted by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy):