Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2016 to Question 57916, on Syria: armed conflict, what response his Department has received from Russian and Iranian ambassadors following the meeting on 15 December 2016.

When the Foreign Secretary summoned the Russian and Iranian ambassadors on 15 December, he made clear that; "both Russia and Iran have failed to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, specifically by failing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians during the months when eastern Aleppo was besieged." The Iranian Foreign Ministry responded that the statements issued by the Foreign Secretary were "unrealistic, unconsidered and destructive". On 19 December, Russia joined the UN Security Council members in voting in favour of UN Security Council Resolution 2328 on the humanitarian situation in Aleppo. The resolution requested the UN to monitor evacuations from Eastern Aleppo and demanded all parties provide the UN with safe, immediate and unimpeded access. The UK continues to urge Russia and Iran to use their influence to implement fully the terms of this UNSCR as well as the ceasefire deal they announced on 30 December