Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of lifting the UN arms embargo on Iranian access to conventional arms and how it will impact the security of that region.

Under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2231, a UN arms embargo on Iran will remain in force for five years after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Adoption Day, or until the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Broader Conclusion. Arms transfers will be permitted only if explicitly approved by the Security Council. Other UN measures will continue to restrict arms transfers from Iran to specific parts of the region, including UNSC resolution 1701, which prevents the supply of weapons to non-governmental forces in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. Under the nuclear deal, the EU arms embargo on Iran will continue after the UN arms embargo is lifted. Iran's role in fostering instability in the Middle East, including its ongoing support for the Assad regime, continues to be a source of serious concern. The nuclear deal has not changed our view on this. But we believe there is a possibility that if Iran takes the right paths, the deal could bring about a step-change in Iran's relations with its neighbours, and with the international community.