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Question
Tugendhat questioned the Foreign Secretary's handshake with the Iranian Foreign Minister and whether it was a change in policy. He criticised the potential propaganda win for Iran and questioned the Foreign Secretary's awareness of Iran's threats and the US and Israel's warnings. He raised questions about whether the UK has reverted to a policy of not giving propaganda wins to Iran.
Minister reply
Doughty responded that the Foreign Secretary followed standard practice and met with the Iranian Foreign Minister to strongly raise UK's objections to Iran's behaviors. He reiterated the UK's resolve to combat threats from Iranian-backed groups and emphasised the ongoing detention of Craig and Lindsay Foreman. He stated that the government is aware of the threats and is engaged in diplomatic efforts to find a resolution, including meetings with Gulf partners and discussions on the Houthi attacks in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
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Question
I welcome the calling out of what seem to be the IRGC’s actions in Fairford, not just by the UK but by more than 30 of our friends and partners, from Albania to the USA. I thank them for standing in solidarity with us. Much of the IRGC’s divisive work, whether it is feeding antisemitism or through bots wearing kilts, is done quietly in the shadows and often online. This time, it looks like the Iranians have been caught out through the diligence of a local resident. Does the Minister agree that our approach needs to change and that we need to be clear about what Iranian attempts to hurt our country look like—both offline and online, with more examples—so that the public are confident enough to identify such attacks, just as they did at Fairford?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend raises very important issues. It is a fact that Iran poses threats across a range of domains, and she rightly raises the issue of misinformation and disinformation. I know that her Committee has been doing very important work on that, and the Government have taken that on board. We have announced a new centre for information defence, which the Prime Minister referred to yesterday, but she is absolutely right to say that we need to be open-eyed about the threats that are posed. We certainly attempt to keep the public informed about the nature of those threats, not just in this country but abroad, and we will continue to implement a range of measures to deter and disrupt them.
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Question
The Iranian regime is a threat to global security, to the UK’s interests and to its own citizens. The question is how best to respond to that threat, while protecting people at home. The unilateral US and Israeli attack on Iran and the conflict that has followed have driven up prices for British families, while emboldening the Iranian regime. I visited Oman last week, and I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. At the maritime security centre, we were told that shipping rates are less than half what they were prior to the conflict, with a mere 35 to 50 vessels passing through Omani waters in the strait of Hormuz each night—every one of them at risk of attack from Iranian drones or missiles. What steps are the Government taking, with other maritime nations, to protect shipping and secure safe passage through the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, to keep food on our shelves and fuel in our tanks at prices that British consumers can afford?
Minister reply
The hon. Member raises the reason why all this matters, which is that the threats are not just to our security, but to our economy; they affect the prices that British people, and indeed people around the world, pay for energy—and for consumer goods on the shelves, because this disruption to energy has a wider implication, in that fertiliser and other things that come out of the Gulf also have an impact on prices. I am delighted that he visited Oman. I was in Oman just a few weeks ago. It is a key partner and friend, and its long-standing historical relationship with the UK is crucial to us. We and His Majesty the King look forward to welcoming His Majesty the Sultan of Oman to the UK soon. It is a crucial partnership for us. The hon. Member is absolutely right to talk about maritime security and the work we do in that domain. I am glad that he saw that work during his visit. Just last week, I visited our Joint Maritime Security Centre at Portsmouth, in which incredible work is done jointly by the Royal Navy, Border Force, UK Maritime Trade Operations and a range of civilian and other agencies. It is crucial that we understand the threats to shipping, and that we are able to provide information to mariners and avoid threats and risk. We continue to work internationally with partners on this issue, just as at the UN General Assembly in New York, the Foreign Secretary, working with Bahrain and others, brought together nearly 80 countries to stand up for the principles of international navigation. It is crucial that we recognise that this is not just about what happens in the strait of Hormuz or the Red sea; this is a threat to the very principles of freedom of navigation and global trade. We need to stand up and defend those principles.
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Question
In July, the Government took the very welcome step of designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, thus criminalising support for its hostile activities. Given Iran’s support for the Houthis, their recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and their threats to international shipping in the Bab al-Mandab strait and the Red sea, are the Government considering taking this step against the Houthis, or are they looking at proscribing the organisation as a terrorist group?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend knows that I do not comment on future designations, but he can be assured that we take the threat posed by the Houthis, both in the region and more broadly, incredibly seriously. As I have said, I spoke with the Foreign Minister of Yemen this morning. I am also utterly appalled to hear that the Houthis are using child soldiers, and are carrying out forced re-education of citizens in areas that they have taken. Attacks are currently taking place around Taiz, where there is a humanitarian crisis, and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. This is not just about the appalling kinetic attacks we have seen on Saudi Arabia and in Yemen, but the humanitarian suffering caused by the Houthis’ actions. We stand with the recognised Government of Yemen, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and others. My hon. Friend rightly points to the work that we have done on the IRGC, the IMCR and individuals, and that relates to the sanctions we issued just yesterday.
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Question
When the Iranians risked the lives of armed forces personnel by attacking RAF Akrotiri earlier this year, Labour Members took great pleasure in mocking the Leader of Opposition for suggesting that a direct attack required a direct response. Does this latest episode not prove that when we do not respond with force, our enemies are encouraged to come at us yet again?
Minister reply
I am absolutely assured that we will respond to defend our bases, our allies and our partners—and, indeed, UK interests in this country—with absolute resolution and vigour.
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Question
I welcome the Minister’s response. As a member of the International Development Committee, I regularly hear about conflicts such as the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen, in which Iranian proxies are actively fighting, destabilising those countries, and causing death and despair. What is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office doing to support victims of Iran in these countries, and to ensure that Yemen, Lebanon and Palestine have functioning states, free of Iranian influence?
Minister reply
I completely share my hon. Friend’s objective of eliminating Iranian influence and that destabilising factor in all those contexts. She rightly mentioned a number of them, and I have already mentioned what we are doing in Yemen. We have also announced an additional £10 million for the United Nations humanitarian appeal to respond to that terrible situation. She also points to Lebanon; we are working closely with the Government of Lebanon to respond in a range of ways to the crisis there.
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Question
Does the Minister agree with me that it sends a strange signal when people suspected of mounting a terrorist attack backed by Iran are let out on bail? Does he also share my concern at recent media reports of several—fortunately foiled—terrorist attacks that were being planned by people who came into this country illegally, on boats crossing the channel?
Minister reply
As the right hon. Member will understand, I will not comment on the ongoing investigations into the events at RAF Fairford, or on police operational decisions, which are very much for them. However, on his broader point about threats and challenges, he will know that MI5 identified at least 15 credible Iranian-backed plots to kill or kidnap people in the UK in 2022 and 2023 alone. This is obviously activity over a sustained period of time. We have made it clear to the Iranian regime at the highest levels that this must end immediately.
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Question
As we know, Iran’s use of criminal networks and online disinformation is a threat to national security, and to safety on British soil. I welcome the recent designations, but does the Minister agree with me that further sanctions are required on Iran and the IRGC to restrict their capacity?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend will know that I do not comment on future designations, but I can assure her that we will continue to keep open all possibilities for deterring and disrupting Iranian state threat activity on our soil, or indeed elsewhere. We keep those measures under regular review; I think the action we have taken in recent weeks is testament to that.
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Question
The incident at RAF Fairford proved yet again a point that we have long known, which is that Iran is an exporter of terrorism and violence around the world—not just in the UK, but, crucially, in the region. We have seen the support for Hezbollah undermining security in Lebanon, and we have seen the attacks on our ally Saudi Arabia. What are the Government planning to do to increase the support that we provide to our allies in the region to counter the Iranian threat?
Minister reply
The hon. Member is right about the scale of the threat, which is exactly why we announced measures and made a statement yesterday with many countries, who are joining our efforts to respond to those threats. Whether it is the air defence support we are supplying in Saudi Arabia at the moment and the air-to-air refuelling, or the work we did to support air defence for many Gulf partners when they were undergoing attacks, we will not cease in our efforts to support our partners and allies in responding to and defending themselves from unprovoked Iranian aggression.
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Question
Just this morning, the chief of MI5 warned about the implications of artificial intelligence reducing the barrier to advance terror and cyber-attacks on the United Kingdom, so what work have the Minister and his colleagues done to assess how Iran is using this technology and how we can defend ourselves?
Minister reply
The implications of AI for our defence and security are obviously significant. My hon. Friend knows that important work is being done by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Artificial Intelligence on this issue. It is crucial that we look at this not just in any one context—he rightly mentions the risk of Iran or others using this technology—because it of course applies more broadly. I can assure him that we are leading international conversations on these issues.
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Question
I hope the Minister will confirm that he has read the Intelligence and Security Committee report on Iran, and inquire about the Foreign Office’s travel advice for Iranians who may be at risk of illegal detention in Iran. He highlights the existence of around 120,000 British Iranians, many of whom travel to Iran to see family despite the risks.
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman rightly illustrates the risk to people. I strongly encourage anyone to read and heed the FCDO travel advice for Iran. We are aware of the risks involved; people have been detained, and we encourage people to follow the advice very closely. I will look at the report mentioned.
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Question
The MP reiterates concerns about online disinformation designed to undermine UK democracy and asks what the Government is doing to tackle hostile activity by Iran and its proxy groups.
Minister reply
We are acting against the threats posed by Iran and proxy groups in various ways, including signing statements and issuing joint statements with other countries regarding the IRGC, Quds Force, and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. These entities are undertaking a wide range of activities, and we need to work with key partners to deter and disrupt that activity.
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Question
The MP asks what assessment the Government has made of the threats from the IRGC or its proxies and the impact of the February US-Israeli attack on the regime in Tehran. He inquires about the UK's exposure since February.
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is correct that I will not comment on intelligence assessments. We continue to seek diplomatic resolution of the crisis in the strait of Hormuz and there is a lot of common ground between all partners on Iran. It cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, must cease attacks on partners and allies, and must stop malign activity and repression of its own people.
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Question
The threat of Iranian surveillance is very real in her constituency, and she asks about the processes in place to ensure communities are safe and that intelligence is appropriately shared.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight those threats. I co-operate very closely with the Security Minister and others on these matters. We are putting in place the necessary protective security arrangements, including with faith communities, and particularly the Jewish community, and we are very aware of where threats are originating from.
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Question
The regime is using every opportunity to reach into our communities and society, even involving charities. The MP asks if Iran has infiltrated British charities and how will he address such activity.
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. We welcome the work that the Charity Commission is doing. We will look very seriously at any findings that come out of that investigation. Crucially, this is a matter for the Security Minister and our agencies to look at. We take any threats or activity of that nature incredibly seriously.
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Question
The regime is weaponising social media to spread propaganda and disinformation. The MP asks what work is being done to hold social media companies accountable whose algorithms boost dangerous content.
Minister reply
It is an important question. We are spending a lot of time focusing on Russian disinformation, but it is also Iran and others. That is exactly why the Prime Minister is bringing together our capabilities, and responding to the Foreign Affairs Committee recommendations with a new centre for information resilience.
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Question
There is a real fear that Iran has achieved the aim of its attack on RAF Fairford, and the MP inquires about the need for increased military spending and securing RAF Fairford and other bases.
Minister reply
We are spending hundreds of millions on defensive measures around bases in the UK. We have raised defence spending to £300 billion over the course of this Parliament, increasing it to 2.7% from 2.3% under his Government, and will continue on that track to 3.5% by 2035.
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Question
Two weeks ago, the Liberal Democrats were clear that if Iran or the IRGC were confirmed to be behind the plot at RAF Fairford, every Iranian diplomat who assisted in acts of terror should be expelled. The MP asks what the Foreign Secretary intends to do now that this has been confirmed.
Minister reply
The investigations into the RAF Fairford incident are continuing, and it is right that they are able to take their course. The Prime Minister set out the situation very clearly, and the Iranian involvement in it. I conveyed at the highest levels our condemnation of Iran’s actions and our expectation that it ceases them immediately.
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Question
The MP thanks the Minister for his answers and recognises his commitment to the job. He asks about robust co-ordinated steps the Government is taking, alongside international allies, to dismantle Iran’s cyber-warfare capabilities and funding of global terror. He also asks for reassurance about the UK's domestic infrastructure being secured against Iranian state-sponsored cyber-threats.
Minister reply
We are fully aware of the threats that Iran poses. Our agencies do important work in identifying those threats and responding to them. We have excellent teams that work in cyber-defence. Of course, cyber-defence is a responsibility of all in society, so we all have to play a part in that endeavour.