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Iran

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"Iran needs to change direction. We want a negotiated solution and have extended the hand of reconciliation to Iran time and time again. We are prepared to have further talks but only if Iran is prepared to engage in serious negotiations about its nuclear programme without pre-conditions. If not, we must continue to increase the pressure."

Foreign Secretary, 9 November 2011

Despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear programme is peaceful, serious concerns about a military dimension remain as a result of Iran’s behaviour in recent years. This includes Iran’s disproportionate investment in the parts of the nuclear fuel cycle that that could be used for a weapons programme, in particular the enrichment of uranium up to 20%, without a credible civilian use for it, and the concealment of elements of its programme, including a nuclear facility at Qom, until 2009. In May 2011, the Iranian authorities announced that they planned to triple the amount of uranium being enriched to 20%. In November 2011, the IAEA released a report clearly and objectively laying out the evidence that the Agency has uncovered of Iran’s development of nuclear weapons technology. In an IAEA resolution passed on 18 November, the Board of Governors expressed "deep and increasing concern about the unresolved issues regarding the Iranian nuclear program, including those which need to be clarified to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions."

In January 2012, Iran announced that it had begun enriching to 20% at Qom. The Foreign Secretary said, "At a time when the international community is asking Iran to provide assurances of the peaceful nature of its programme, this is a provocative act which further undermines Iran’s claims that its programme is entirely civilian in nature."

Iran is also in defiance of a number of UN Security Council Resolutions. It has failed to cooperate fully with the IAEA including over access for inspections, and despite signing it has not implemented an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, which would allow the IAEA to properly assess Iran’s nuclear activities. Currently the IAEA says that Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to allow them to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is for peaceful activities.

The UK, UN and international partners continue to seek to resolve these concerns through a twin-track strategy of diplomacy and pressure. On 21 October, EU High Representative Baroness Ashton wrote to the Iranian authorities. Writing on behalf of the E3+3 (Germany, France, UK, China, Russia and the US), she reiterated that the E3+3 wants to have further talks, if Iran is prepared to engage in meaningful discussions about its nuclear programme without pre-conditions. At its November 2011 meeting, the IAEA Board of Governors called on Iran "to engage seriously without preconditions in talks aimed at restoring international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program."

Iran, like every country, is entitled to the benefits of peaceful nuclear energy. However with this right comes the responsibility of meeting its international commitments, which in Iran’s case have been violated. Iran needs to restore trust in its intentions.

Until it does so, UN, EU and national sanctions, targeting Iran’s nuclear programme and banking, oil and gas sectors, will remain in place alongside diplomatic efforts. The UN Security Council has agreed six Resolutions concerning Iran's nuclear programme, four of which impose sanctions, most recently Resolution 1929 of July 2010. These resolutions, send a strong signal that the country's continued failure to comply with its international obligations cannot be ignored.

In January 2012, the EU agreed an unprecedented new package of sanctions, including a phased ban on Iranian oil exports. These sanctions are designed to undermine Iran’s ability to fund its nuclear programme, and ultimately to increase pressure on Iran’s leaders so that they come back to the negotiating table. 

The measures agreed by the EU include:

  • A full ban on Iranian oil exports, phased in over 5 months
  • An expansion of financial measures against Iran, including against the Central Bank of Iran and Bank Tejarat, and a ban on gold transfers and precious metals
  • An expansion of the list of dual use goods banned for export to Iran (goods with a civilian and nuclear or military purpose)
  • An expansion of the list of organisations and individuals subject to an EU asset freeze

For more details, see the EU Official Journal

Ultimately Iran’s leaders must make a choice: whether to accept the proposals of the E3+3, which would lead to the lifting of sanctions, access to investment and other economic benefits, cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy and dialogue on key international issues; or continue on a path of defiance - paying the considerable cost of a tightening sanctions regime, foregoing investment in a declining oil industry, failing to develop its gas and oil reserves and isolating itself from the international community.

The UK and the international community remain ready to engage with Iran, and still believe that the way forward on this issue is multilateral negotiation.

Our Iran country profile has more info about Iran and its relationship with the UK.

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