Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Paragraph: 35
We agree with the Government that its long-term goal should be to replace the JCPOA...
Conclusion
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 in the region, not just in Europe and the US.
Paragraph Reference:
35
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
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 to address the full spectrum of regional security issues. However, before the US withdrawal in 2018 and Iran’s systematic non-compliance began in 2019, it did successfully address our nuclear concerns. As we look forward, both Iran’s nuclear programme and its destabilising behaviour in the region need to be addressed. We agree that consultation across the Middle East region will be critical to the success of any long-term effort to tackle regional security concerns. We will need to deploy a range of tools to deliver these goals; and our approach should be grounded in realism about what is most likely to work. We agree with the Committee that it is important to learn lessons. The Government will continue to take into account the full range of available evidence when developing and implementing its policy on Iran.