The issue of fuel supply through the Strait of Hormuz is relative to world supply and world prices; that is, because the UK obtains only a very small proportion of its supplies from the Middle East, the effect is more likely to be on prices across the world as other people seek to make up their supplies from different sources. The noble Lord is right that how we clear the Strait of Hormuz for those supplies has to be a question of disengagement, détente in the present conflict, and negotiation not in an ideal world but with those with whom we find ourselves in a negotiating position.

Iran's human rights record continues to be of serious concern to the UK. We remain deeply concerned by Iran's failure to uphold its international legal obligations. Many citizens have been arrested on unclear charges, arbitrarily detained and denied due process, all contrary to international human rights law.

We regularly express our human rights concerns to the Iranian authorities and we continue to take action both bilaterally and with the international community, to press Iran to improve its poor human rights record.

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

Her Majesty’s Government supports trade with Iran as a key part of its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). HMG remains concerned about the human rights situation in Iran and continues to encourage the Iranian government to improve its human rights record.

The UK Government opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran. We continue to raise human rights with the Iranian Government at all levels.

EU 3 (France, Germany and the United Kingdom) +3 (China, Russia, and the United States), nuclear talks with Iran have focused exclusively on the nuclear issue. However, Iran’s poor human rights record and links to proxy groups outside its borders remain causes of serious concern. We raise these issues publicly, in multilateral fora and in our bilateral contacts with Iran.

My Lords, Iran is not the only state in the Middle East with which we have issues about human rights. We certainly do not intend to uncouple human rights from other issues, but we are also in the middle of some immensely complex nuclear negotiations with Iran, and then there are the many complications of the anti-ISIL campaigns.

President Rouhani has said that he wants to find a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria. However, as things stand, Iran continues to support the Syrian regime and affiliated militias through weapons supplies, equipment, financial assistance, and personnel provided by its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 1747, and is prolonging the conflict. Iran can and must play a constructive role in Syria. This includes publicly endorsing the Geneva communiqué, and using their influence with the Assad regime to secure unhindered access for humanitarian assistance, and the end of indiscriminate air attacks on civilian areas. We will continue to raise our concerns with Iran, including through our emerging bilateral engagement.

We welcome the initial positive steps taken by President Rouhani on human rights, such as the release of a number of political prisoners in September 2013. However, the human rights situation in Iran remains dire and we are particularly concerned by reports that the rate of executions has increased in 2014. We hope that President Rouhani will act on the pledges he has made, implement social reforms and improve the rights of all citizens in Iran. In the meantime, we will continue to press Iran to improve its terrible human rights record.

We remain deeply concerned at Iran’s material support for groups such as the military wings of Hamas and Hizballah, as well as its support for the Assad regime, armed groups in Iraq, and across the broader Middle East. There is a significant body of international sanctions which target such activity. This includes UN prohibitions on the export of weapons by Iran, and EU and UN travel bans and asset freezes on leading members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The UK, France, EU, China, Russia, and the United States (E3+3) negotiations with Iran are focussed solely on Iran’s nuclear programme. They do not address broader concerns about Iran’s activity, such as its appalling human rights record. Irrespective of the recent and welcome progress in nuclear talks, the UK continues to press Iran to improve its approach to human rights.

We have raised concerns with the Government of Iraq about Iranian support reaching the Assad regime through its airspace. Other international partners have raised their concerns in similar terms. There are UN prohibitions on the export of weapons by Iran, as well as a prohibition on third countries procuring arms from Iran. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is the main body providing support to the Syrian regime from Iran, and the EU and UN have already placed travel bans and assets freezes on leading members of the IRGC and IRGC entities.