Foreign Secretary will visit Iran for the first
time today (19 November). He will hold talks with the Iranian
government on the future of the nuclear deal, Iran’s role in the
conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and the ongoing cases of detained
British-Iranian dual nationals.
This week’s visit will be the first by a western Foreign Minister
to Iran since the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. The
Foreign Secretary will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and
other senior figures. He will stress that the UK remains
committed to the nuclear deal as long as Iran sticks to its
terms, and discuss European efforts to maintain nuclear-related
sanctions relief.
The Foreign Secretary will also use his meetings to press Iran to
improve its human rights record. In particular, he will call for
the immediate release of detained British-Iranian dual nationals
where there are humanitarian grounds to do so.
The Foreign Secretary will also discuss Yemen, and underline our
deep concern at reports – documented by the UN Panel of Experts –
that Iran has supplied ballistic missiles and weapons to the
Houthis, in violation of Security Council Resolutions. This is
destabilising and contrary to efforts to diplomatic efforts to
end the conflict. At this point it is important that all
countries support the UN Envoy’s efforts to convene talks between
the parties in Stockholm.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Foreign Secretary said:
More than anything, we must see those innocent British-Iranian
dual nationals imprisoned in Iran returned to their families in
Britain. I have just heard too many heartbreaking stories from
families who have been forced to endure a terrible separation.
So I arrive in Iran with a clear message for the country’s
leaders: putting innocent people in prison cannot and must not
be used as a tool of diplomatic leverage.
Of the Iran nuclear deal, he will say:
The Iran nuclear deal remains a vital component of stability in
the Middle East by eliminating the threat of a nuclearised
Iran. It needs 100% compliance though to survive. We will stick
to our side of the bargain as long as Iran does. But we also
need to see an end to destabilising activity by Iran in the
rest of the region if we are going to tackle the root causes of
the challenges the region faces.
