Oral Answers to Questions

Yvonne Fovargue Excerpts

Tuesday 29th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on Iran.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)]

We worked closely with our EU partners in responding to the International Atomic Energy Agency report about the Iranian nuclear programme, and I hope we will reach further conclusions on Iran at this week’s Foreign Affairs Council.

[Yvonne Fovargue]

What work are the Government doing to protect the safety and security of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff in Iran, following the decision this week of Iran’s Parliament to call for drastic cuts in diplomatic ties? Will the Government respond to that with similar action if that call is agreed to by the Guardian Council?

[Mr Hague]

The hon. Lady is right to raise the issue. The Iranian Parliament voted on Sunday to downgrade relations with the United Kingdom. As she says, the further decision of the Guardian Council is awaited. I have made it clear that if they go ahead with that, we will respond robustly. We will do so in consultation with our European Union partners. There is no Iranian ambassador currently here in London. The embassy is headed by a chargé so we are not able to respond exactly in kind, but we will respond in other ways and we will do so robustly.