Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Thursday, 20 April 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 24 April 2006. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 May 2006 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iran

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support pro-democracy student groups in Iran.

Answer: Encouraging greater respect for human rights and political freedoms is a key element of our approach towards Iran. We seek to promote the internationally recognised principles to which many Iranians aspire including freedom of speech and transparent, genuinely democratic and accountable government. We maintain a dialogue with those inside and outside the Iranian Government who are working to support reform and the promotion of the rule of law. We do not generally publicise the details without the consent of our Iranian partners.

Secondary information