Chair of the UK Abraham Accords Group Rt. Hon. Dr Liam Fox MP called for “maximum pressure” to be put on the Iranian government in a panel event hosted by CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE, at the virtual 2021 Leadership Dialogue.
The panel also included former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev, former Australian Labor Party MP Michael Danby, and former Labour MP Mike Gapes. Dr Fox said he “was opposed to the JCPOA (nuclear deal) for a number of reasons… It effectively delayed rather than stopped Iran from getting a nuclear bomb by 15 years”.
He added that the JCPOA “lifted sanctions too quickly” and also gave the regime money to fund projects. The Leadership Dialogue featured panel debates on a range of topical issues, with the aim of fostering closer cultural ties between Australia, the UK, and Israel. Among UK Conservative speakers this year included Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick MP, CFI Parliamentary Chairman (Commons) Rt. Hon. Stephen Crabb MP, Vice-Chair Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers, CFI Officers Christian Wakeford MP, Mary Robinson MP.
During his panel event, Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick condemned the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, asserting that it “is being beaten back”. He said that he was “confident” legislation would be introduced in the Queens Speech next spring proposing the outlawing of BDS.
Watch the panel events on Youtube. In the Houses of Parliament this week, Conservative MPs and Lords also raised concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions in Written Parliamentary Questions and by Bob Blackman MP in yesterday’s adjournment debate.
