Book Description

This report from the Foreign Affairs Committee (HCP 142, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215513854), examines global security in relation to Iran, and is the third such report, the other two focusing on the Middle East and Russia respectively (HCP 363, session 2006-07 (Middle East), ISBN 9780215035844 and HCP 51, session 2007-08 (Russia), ISBN 9780215037411). An earlier report on the UK's relationship with Iran was published in 2004 (HCP 80, session 2003-04, ISBN 9780215016119), and this report further explores issues, in particular the challenge posed by the Iranian nuclear programme. The Committee has set out the issues it will consider in this report, including: the extent of the progress Iran has made on nuclear development; the relationship between Iran's domestic political and human rights situation, and its nuclear ambitions; the relationship between Iran's regional and international security situation and its nuclear ambitions; the regional and global implications of Iran's nuclear programme; the history of international engagement with Iran over nuclear non-proliferation; the options open to the international community in addressing the possibility of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. The Committee, sets out 16 conclusions and recommendations, including: that the Committee views the potential to develop a nuclear programme as still remaining strong, despite Iran's suspension of an active nuclear wepons programme; the Committee welcomes the supply of enriched uranium by Russia, but that the international community 's diplomatic approach is a long way from achieving all its goals; the Committee condemns unreservedly President Ahmadinejad's call for the destruction of Israel and his hosting of a Holocaust denial conference; that Iranian support for Iraqi insurgents has been responsible for the death of coalition troops and is completely unacceptable and reprehensible and that the Government needs to set out its' analysis of the levels of training, weaponry and finance provided by elements of the Iranian regime.