Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Paragraph: 15
Disunity in addressing the nuclear issue, especially between the US and the E3, has not...
Conclusion
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 agendas in the Middle East. In the absence of decisive leadership and multilateral cooperation going forward, there is a risk that Iran will turn further to Russia and China for the economic relief they can each offer at a knock-down political price.
Paragraph Reference:
15
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
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 aligned international diplomatic effort is essential if we are to succeed in our shared goal. The UK looks forward to working closely with the Biden Administration on this. E3 unity and commitment to the JCPoA has remained strong and consistent. We work tirelessly with our French and German partners to protect the benefits of the deal, including through triggering the DRM and using Joint Commission meetings to press Iran to return to its JCPoA commitments. Russia and China share our goal of ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme, as well as an agreed framework through the JCPoA to achieve it. President Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. We welcome this commitment, and look forward to working closely to achieve these aims. All participants to the JCPoA, including Russia, China and Iran, agreed on 21 December 2020 to engage positively with the prospect of US re-entry to the deal and to make a joint effort to achieve this objective. It is in all our interests to address this jointly through the JCPoA framework and there is a real opportunity for international diplomacy to deliver our shared interests on the Iranian nuclear file.