Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Conclusion 56
Fifth report: No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationship with Iran
Published 16 Dec 2020
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee The UK and Iran All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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 are rightly withheld from public consumption, but the FCDO noted that it makes requests for consular access to detained nationals where it is not automatically provided, such as with dual nationals.128 Another tactic has been to accord the detainee diplomatic protection, 122 Q22 [Charlie Loudon] 123 Q22 [Charlie Loudon] 124 Correspondence from the Minister of State for Asia, 19 November 2020 125 Review of Complex Consular Cases, House of Commons Library 126 Correspondence from the Minister of State for Asia, 19 November 2020 127 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UKI0031), para 18 128 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UKI0031), para 18 22 No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationship with Iran although this has been dismissed by Iran when used for dual nationals.129130 Tulip Siddiq MP noted that despite the FCDO’s efforts to negotiate the release of Nazanin Zaghari- Ratcliffe, no real progress was made until covid-19 enabled her to be released on furlough.131 The limited range of options available was highlighted in October 2019 by Dr Andrew Murrison, the then Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, who stated: […] it is a sad fact that the tools in our toolbox are limited. What we can do is continue to make it clear to our interlocutors that this is not acceptable, right or proper, and that if Iran wants to restore its reputation, the early release of Nazanin and other dual nationals will go a very long way.132
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, Fifth report: No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationship with Iran (HC 415), 16 December 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 26 February 2021 (deadline 16 February 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes several of the Committee's conclusions and sets out a position built on "engagement, pressure, and incentives", while noting rather than adopting a number of specific recommendations.
- On the nuclear deal, it agrees it would not be in the UK's interests to terminate the JCPoA "without a viable replacement", and says it will work with E3 partners and the new US Administration. It notes the recommendations on ballistic missiles, sunset clauses and IAEA cooperation.
- It states that it "has never said that its long-term goal is to 'replace' the JCPoA", while agreeing that consultation across the Middle East region will be critical.
- On proscribing the IRGC, it takes "careful note" of the recommendation. It says the IRGC is subject to UK sanctions, and that it is "longstanding Government policy not to comment" on whether an organisation is under consideration for proscription.
- On a Foreign Secretary statement on a JCPoA replacement, it says only that the Foreign Secretary "will update the House when it is appropriate to do so". It notes the proposal for a UN hostage-taking convention addition without committing to it.