The UK and Iran

Foreign Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 17 Mar 2020 Closed: 26 Feb 2021 Parliament page
This inquiry will explore the basis of the engagement between the UK and Iran, what it has comprised, and how successful it has been in securing the UK’s foreign-policy objectives. As well as considering both sides of the bilateral relationship, the inquiry will also look at the approaches and priorities … Read more
7 Recommendations
28 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Event
Activity timeline 3 events
26 Feb
2021
Report published
16 Dec
2020
Report published
7 Jul
2020
Informal meeting · Virtual meeting
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth report: No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationsh… HC 415 16 Dec 2020 35 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
35 results
54 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
In 2019, the FCDO commissioned a review into the department’s handling of complex consular cases.
In 2019, the FCDO commissioned a review into the department’s handling of complex consular cases. The review was conducted by Dame Judith MacGregor and focused on how the department balances the needs of the individual with the needs of the … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We moved to begin implementation of the Macgregor Review as soon as it was received and can reaffirm our commitment to the Macgregor Review’s key … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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55 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The MacGregor Review offers the single best insight into the changes which need to be...
The MacGregor Review offers the single best insight into the changes which need to be made within the FCDO to better equip it to deal with complex ‘consular cases’. We welcome the Government’s commitment to its recommendations but are concerned … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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56 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
In its written evidence, the FCDO made clear that the strategies employed to secure the...
In its written evidence, the FCDO made clear that the strategies employed to secure the release of detained nationals vary by case.127 The intricacies of the negotiations and representations conducted by the FCDO in the pursuit of justice for detainees … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s views with regard to the efficacy of UK consular policy in Iran and agree fully that the Iranian government should immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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57 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The FCDO’s current approach to consular disputes is clearly not working.
The FCDO’s current approach to consular disputes is clearly not working. The Key Performance Indicator remains the unconditional and timely release of detained nationals. In this, the range of tools on offer is entirely ineffectual and requires revision. The FCDO … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s views with regard to the efficacy of UK consular policy in Iran and agree fully that the Iranian government should immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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58 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The principal part of international law concerned with hostage taking is the International Convention Against...
The principal part of international law concerned with hostage taking is the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, which came into force in 1983. Article 1 of the convention defines the offence of hostage taking.133 Any person who seizes … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
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59 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The FCDO has rightly stated that the detention of British and dual nationals by Iran...
The FCDO has rightly stated that the detention of British and dual nationals by Iran falls outside the parameters of the Convention which was clearly designed for the specific purpose of combatting individual hostage-takers, rather than state-backed actors.134 Nevertheless, witnesses … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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60 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Witnesses involved with some of the higher-profile detentions of UK and dual nationals by Iran...
Witnesses involved with some of the higher-profile detentions of UK and dual nationals by Iran were keen to highlight the benefits which might be gained in defining the term. Charlie Loudon from REDRESS, which has acted on behalf of Nazanin … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
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61 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Charlie Loudon was measured in characterising other countries as more or less successful than the...
Charlie Loudon was measured in characterising other countries as more or less successful than the UK and noted that while that might appear to be an accurate assessment, “There is a lack of authoritative publicly available data on the different … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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62 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Regardless of international comparisons, Charlie Loudon noted that “[a]vailable evidence gives a clear indication that...
Regardless of international comparisons, Charlie Loudon noted that “[a]vailable evidence gives a clear indication that the UK’s method has not worked so far, and that the UK needs to rethink its approach and work with other countries to better address … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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63 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The framework within which action over arbitrarily detained nationals can be taken is severely limited.
The framework within which action over arbitrarily detained nationals can be taken is severely limited. The UK is not alone in not officially recognising the phenomenon of ‘State Hostage Taking’, but the FCDO should acknowledge that Iran’s transactional approach to … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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64 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Our predecessor Committee reported on the UK’s sanctions policy after Brexit and explored the possibility...
Our predecessor Committee reported on the UK’s sanctions policy after Brexit and explored the possibility of using Magnitsky sanctions against human rights abusers.146 The Foreign Secretary announced the UK’s first round of Magnitsky-style sanctions in July 2020 against nationals of … Read more
Government Response
We take careful note of the Committee’s recommendation. We currently impose sanctions against a number of Iranians involved in serious human rights violations and abuses under the UK’s autonomous Iran … Read more
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65 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to...
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to the rules based international system generally, and a key challenge faced when aiding detained nationals specifically. The FCDO has admirably used international fora to exert … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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66 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The UK has been most successful at securing its objectives vis-à-vis Iran when it has...
The UK has been most successful at securing its objectives vis-à-vis Iran when it has committed to a long-term strategy alongside international partners. However, the UK’s relationship with Iran is bigger than Iran’s nuclear violations, malign regional activity, or human … Read more
Government Response
We agree that the UK-Iran relationship, like all relationships between States, is rooted in part in a shared history between our peoples. We are clear on the distinction between the … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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67 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Over the course of millennia, Persians have made significant contributions regionally and internationally to science,...
Over the course of millennia, Persians have made significant contributions regionally and internationally to science, culture, poetry, maths and philosophy. The UK’s difficult relationship with the Islamic Republic has overshadowed its much longer relationship with Persia and the common ground … Read more
Government Response
We share the Committee’s views on the contribution of Iranians throughout world history in the fields of science, culture, poetry, maths and philosophy. The Iranian people have the right to … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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68 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Engagement with Iran should not be an end goal in and of itself.
Engagement with Iran should not be an end goal in and of itself. Rather, engagement should seek to encourage Iran to play a positive, constructive and predictable role as a regional power, which uses international norms, respect for human rights … Read more
Government Response
We agree with the conclusion of the Committee. The UK-Iran bilateral relationship is an important part of our policy and a key enabling tool in achieving our wider goals. The … Read more
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1 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Disunity in addressing the nuclear issue, especially between the US and the E3, has not...
Disunity in addressing the nuclear issue, especially between the US and the E3, has not served the UK’s interests. Instead, it has disincentivised Iranian engagement with the West and presented an opportunity for Russia and China to pursue their respective … Read more
Government Response
After the US withdrawal, we still shared the strategic aim of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but we disagreed on how best to achieve it. We believe that an … Read more
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2 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
A significant weakness of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 was its failure to prohibit Iran...
A significant weakness of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 was its failure to prohibit Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. In a treaty fundamentally designed to deliver non-proliferation assurances, it is entirely reasonable that the JCPOA … Read more
Government Response
UNSCR 2231 was passed unanimously with the full support of the Security Council. feature of the agreement from a UK perspective, but UNSCR 2231 and the JCPoA, like all international … Read more
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3 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Iran could be more forthcoming when granting access for IAEA inspections.
Iran could be more forthcoming when granting access for IAEA inspections. Additionally, Iran has publicly stated it would not allow inspection of military sites, despite such visits falling within the terms of the JCPOA. These actions undermine political confidence in … Read more
Government Response
We take considered note of the Committee’s recommendation. We agree on the importance of IAEA access. The UK is clear that Iran must provide full access to the IAEA in … Read more
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4 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Annex I, Section Q, paragraph 78 of the JCPOA does not set out a definitive...
Annex I, Section Q, paragraph 78 of the JCPOA does not set out a definitive timetable for action in a potential period between non-compliance with the Joint Commission and the snapback of sanctions. This lack of clarity has proved contentious. … Read more
Government Response
Annex I, Section Q, paragraph 78 of the JCPoA sets out the timelines for resolving JCPoA access issues between Iran and the IAEA as follows: if Iran and the IAEA … Read more
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5 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Given the historically covert nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, the lack of good faith it...
Given the historically covert nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, the lack of good faith it has shown in supporting the free and timely inspection efforts of the IAEA, and recent evidence indicating the military dimensions to its nuclear efforts of … Read more
Government Response
We note the committee’s conclusion. Under the terms of the JCPoA Iran has the most comprehensive set of IAEA monitoring and verification arrangements of any country. IAEA inspectors ‘days in … Read more
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6 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
We agree with the Foreign Secretary that the nuclear deal is imperfect, but Iran’s non-compliance...
We agree with the Foreign Secretary that the nuclear deal is imperfect, but Iran’s non-compliance over the last year has indicated what the nuclear proliferation implications of terminating the JCPOA without a viable replacement might be. A more satisfactory arrangement … Read more
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7 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
We agree with the Government that its long-term goal should be to replace the JCPOA...
We agree with the Government that its long-term goal should be to replace the JCPOA with a broader agreement which additionally addresses regional security. This must learn the lessons from last time and be held in consultation with our allies … Read more
Government Response
The Government has never said that its long-term goal is to “replace” the JCPoA. We have been clear that the JCPoA is not perfect, and that it was not designed … Read more
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8 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The UK’s history in the region, and relationship with the member states of the Gulf...
The UK’s history in the region, and relationship with the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, make it uniquely placed amongst the signatories of the JCPOA to build regional and international consensus on how to meet the challenges posed … Read more
Government Response
The Government has been clear on the need to address Iran’s destabilising regional behaviour, and we note the Committee’s recommendation that this should form a core part of any strategy … Read more
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9 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
We recommend that, in the aftermath of the Integrated Review, the Foreign Secretary makes a...
We recommend that, in the aftermath of the Integrated Review, the Foreign Secretary makes a statement to the House to outline specifically what a replacement to the JCPOA should seek to achieve and over what timeframe. In so doing, the … Read more
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10 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
BBC Persian promotes the shared interests of free people around the world.
BBC Persian promotes the shared interests of free people around the world. The treatment of its staff and their families by Iran is abhorrent, and the Government is right to continue to call out these abuses in international fora.
Government Response
We welcome the Committee’s conclusion. Attacks against BBC Persian employees/families and threats towards an entirely legitimate media organisation are deeply concerning. We raise this harassment regularly with the Iranian government, … Read more
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11 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Iran will choose to uphold those parts of international law which suit the tenets or...
Iran will choose to uphold those parts of international law which suit the tenets or strategic goals of the Islamic Republic while disregarding the remainder, often at the expense of the Iranian people. The FCDO has made commendable efforts to … Read more
Government Response
We welcome the Committee’s recognition of the FCDO’s work to address human rights issues in Iran. We will continue to make clear to the Iranians our concerns at their persistent … Read more
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12 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The Iranian people are the victims of the poor choices made by the Iranian state,...
The Iranian people are the victims of the poor choices made by the Iranian state, yet they are too often a secondary consideration. The UK’s strategy going forward should rebalance this oversight. For the UK-Iran relationship to be meaningful and … Read more
Government Response
We agree with the Committee that enhancing cultural and other people-to-people ties between the UK and Iran would be of mutual benefit. We have consistently supported such exchanges. The UK … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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13 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
We are satisfied that the actions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp meet the criteria...
We are satisfied that the actions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp meet the criteria for proscription in the Terrorism Act 2000 and see proscription as a logical extension of the existing restrictions placed on members of the IRGC by … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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14 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The MacGregor Review offers the single best insight into the changes which need to be...
The MacGregor Review offers the single best insight into the changes which need to be made within the FCDO to better equip it to deal with complex ‘consular cases’. We welcome the Government’s commitment to its recommendations but are concerned … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
15 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The FCDO’s current approach to consular disputes is clearly not working.
The FCDO’s current approach to consular disputes is clearly not working. The Key Performance Indicator remains the unconditional and timely release of detained nationals. In this, the range of tools on offer is entirely ineffectual and requires revision. The FCDO … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s views with regard to the efficacy of UK consular policy in Iran and agree fully that the Iranian government should immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
16 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The framework within which action over arbitrarily detained nationals can be taken is severely limited.
The framework within which action over arbitrarily detained nationals can be taken is severely limited. The UK is not alone in not officially recognising the phenomenon of ‘State Hostage Taking’, but the FCDO should acknowledge that Iran’s transactional approach to … Read more
Government Response
We note the Committee’s recommendation. We do not accept dual British nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. In any individual case, the Government would look at all the circumstances concerned, … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
17 Recommendation
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to...
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to the rules based international system generally, and a key challenge faced when aiding detained nationals specifically. The FCDO has admirably used international fora to exert … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
18 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
The UK has been most successful at securing its objectives vis-à-vis Iran when it has...
The UK has been most successful at securing its objectives vis-à-vis Iran when it has committed to a long-term strategy alongside international partners. However, the UK’s relationship with Iran is bigger than Iran’s nuclear violations, malign regional activity, or human … Read more
Government Response
We agree that the UK-Iran relationship, like all relationships between States, is rooted in part in a shared history between our peoples. We are clear on the distinction between the … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
19 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Over the course of millennia, Persians have made significant contributions regionally and internationally to science,...
Over the course of millennia, Persians have made significant contributions regionally and internationally to science, culture, poetry, maths and philosophy. The UK’s difficult relationship with the Islamic Republic has overshadowed its much longer relationship with Persia and the common ground … Read more
Government Response
We share the Committee’s views on the contribution of Iranians throughout world history in the fields of science, culture, poetry, maths and philosophy. The Iranian people have the right to … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
20 Conclusion
Fifth report: No prosperity withou…
Engagement with Iran should not be an end goal in and of itself.
Engagement with Iran should not be an end goal in and of itself. Rather, engagement should seek to encourage Iran to play a positive, constructive and predictable role as a regional power, which uses international norms, respect for human rights … Read more
Government Response
We agree with the conclusion of the Committee. The UK-Iran bilateral relationship is an important part of our policy and a key enabling tool in achieving our wider goals. The … Read more
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details