In a series of parliamentary written questions in recent weeks, Conservative MPs and Lords have urged the UK Government to prevent the expiry of the UN arms embargo on Iran in October 2020 and expressed concerns over Iran’s regional aggression.
Conservative MP John Lamont asked the Foreign Secretary “what assessment he has made of the level of regional threat posed by Iran re-entering the arms market following the expiration of the UN conventional arms embargo in October 2020” and of the “effectiveness of UN Security Council Resolutions 2231, 1540, 2216 and 1701 in tackling Iran’s regional threat”.
Newly elected Conservative MPs Alexander Stafford and Jonathan Gullis questioned the Government on the “implications for regional security” of the embargo’s expiry, and Andrew Bowie MP asked “what mechanisms are in place to prevent” the expiry.
In response, Middle East Minister Rt. Hon. James Cleverly MP said that the UK is “consulting partners on the broader implications of the UN arms embargo expiry and encourage all states to implement national export control best practice”.
The Minister condemned Iran’s recent satellite launch using ballistic missile technology, which is “of significant concern and inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231”.
He added that the UK “remains concerned about the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the revelation it has developed an independent military space launch capability, and call on Iran urgently to cease all forms of destabilising activity”. Iran “must abide” by UN Security Council Resolutions, he said.
In the House of Lords, Conservative peer Lord Grade of Yarmouth asked what assessment the Government had made “of the risks associated with the Iranian trade in arms”. Baroness Eaton asked an additional question on “the impact of the expiration of the UN conventional arms embargo on Iran in October on human rights advocates in the country”.
Replying, Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon noted that “Iran has broken the nuclear limits” in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), and the UK is “working to bring Iran back into compliance through the deal’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism”.
He confirmed that the EU arms embargo and UN ballistic missile restriction on Iran “will remain in place until 2023” and that the proliferation of weapons to Hezbollah and the Houthis are prohibited by UN Security Council Resolutions 1540, 1701 and 2216.
Lord Ahmad added: “Separate to sanctions in place under the JCPoA, there is an EU Iran human rights sanctions regime. It places trade restrictions on specified goods and technology which may be used to repress the civilian population of Iran and on specified goods and technology which may be used for interception and monitoring services in Iran. These EU trade restrictions do not have an expiry date”.
Last week, former Foreign Secretary Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP said that the international community must “find a way of extending the arms embargo” on Iran.
