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
23 Recommendations
12 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
14 results
Clear
56 Conclusion Accepted
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
The government noted the committee's views and agreed that Iran should release all arbitrarily detained dual British nationals, outlining ongoing efforts to work with allies and repeatedly press Iran for exceptional consular access and medical care.
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58 Conclusion Accepted
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
The government noted the committee's observation, stating it considers the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages in individual cases and continues to use UN and international fora to address arbitrary detention of foreign nationals.
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62 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government noted the recommendation and affirmed its stance against dual nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. It stated it already uses UN and international fora to call out such behaviour and will continue to discuss these issues with likeminded countries.
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66 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government agrees with the committee's broader view of the UK-Iran relationship and the need to differentiate between the state and people. To strengthen bilateral engagement, the FCDO has increased Farsi-trained personnel and extended tour lengths for postings in Iran, and continues to increase expertise through expert contacts.
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67 Conclusion Accepted
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
The government agrees with the committee's views on Iranian contributions and the UK's responsibility to address human rights violations, detailing several recent actions taken at the UN and with allies to hold Iran accountable and affirming continued commitment.
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6 Recommendation Accepted
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
Government Response
The government agreed that terminating the JCPOA without replacement is not in the UK's interest, committed to working closely with E3 partners and the new US administration to deliver renewed transatlantic unity on the deal, and welcomed President Biden's desire to lengthen and strengthen the agreement, noting the committee's recommendations on specific concerns.
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8 Recommendation Accepted
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 agrees the UK is well-placed to build regional consensus on Iran's destabilising activity and states it already engages closely with GCC members and will continue to work with regional partners, the E3, and the US to find a sustainable solution.
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10 Conclusion Accepted
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
The government welcomed the conclusion, expressed deep concern over harassment against BBC Persian staff, and stated they regularly raise these issues with the Iranian government and will continue to defend BBC Persian's editorial independence.
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11 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government welcomed the committee's recognition and stated they will continue to express concerns about human rights violations to Iran, including through engagement with the president, and will continue to defend BBC Persian's editorial independence.
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12 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government agrees on the mutual benefit of enhancing cultural ties and states it has consistently supported such exchanges without erecting barriers, but highlights Iran's criminalisation of cooperation as an obstacle, confirming continued support and defence of the British Council.
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14 Recommendation Accepted
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
Government Response
The government reaffirms its commitment to implementing the MacGregor Review's recommendations, stating it began implementation immediately, and will update the committee on progress as part of ongoing engagement.
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18 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government agreed with the importance of a broader relationship and distinguishing between the Iranian State and people. It stated it has already strengthened bilateral engagement by increasing Farsi language training and extending tour lengths for FCDO staff in Iran, and is deepening expertise through external contacts.
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19 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government agreed with the committee's view and confirmed its responsibility to call out Iran's human rights abuses. It detailed numerous recent and ongoing actions taken to hold Iran accountable, including statements at the Human Rights Council, joint letters, co-sponsoring UN resolutions, and publishing updates.
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20 Recommendation Accepted
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
The government agrees with the committee, stating that it will continue to keep the diplomatic door open for dialogue with Iran, send clear messages regarding nuclear compliance, and engage in ongoing discussions about Iran’s regional role.
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Government Response AI assessment · 35 of 23 classified
Accepted 14
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 14
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 3
Total 23 recs + 12 conclusions