Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what priority his Department accords to (a) human rights and religious freedoms and (b) other matters in its bilateral negotiations with Iran.

The human rights situation in Iran remains dire. As a designated "Country of Concern" on human rights, we are determined to hold the Iranian Government to account and to encourage urgently needed improvements to guarantee the rights of all Iranians. The UK most recently raised the human rights situation in Iran, including religious freedoms, during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 31 October. We are seeking to improve our relationship with Iran, on a step by step basis, for the benefit of both our countries. There will continue to be areas where Iran and the UK have sharp disagreements, particularly on human rights. But increasing our bilateral engagement will better equip us to discuss these differences. the UK's non-resident Chargé d’Affaires last discussed human rights in detail during his visit to Iran earlier this year.