To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Iran on its nuclear programme; and if she will make a statement. (100531)

We remain deeply concerned by Iran’s nuclear programme. Ministers and senior officials are in regular contact with the Iranian authorities. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this and other areas of concern when she met the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manuchehr Mottaki, on 19 September, and I did so when I met the Iranian Ambassador to London on 12 September.

Iran has not met the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the UN Security Council, including a full suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities. This is essential to build confidence that the intentions of Iran's nuclear programme are exclusively peaceful.

We remain committed to a negotiated solution, and regret that Iran has not taken the steps that would enable negotiations to begin on the basis of the proposals presented in June by Javier Solana on behalf of the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China). These proposals would form the basis of a long-term agreement: they offer Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry in return for restoring international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

We are determined that Iran should comply fully with its obligations. E3+3 Foreign Ministers met in London on 6 October and agreed that Iran’s failure to address IAEA Board and Security Council Resolutions, and to take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council Resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the introduction of a sanctions regime against Iran. (101578)

Ministers and senior officials are in frequent contact with their counterparts about Iran’s nuclear programme. The Foreign Ministers of the ‘E3+3’ (UK, France, Germany + US, Russia, China) met in London on 6 October and agreed that Iran’s failure to address International Atomic Energy Agency Board and Security Council Resolutions, and to take the steps that would enable a return to negotiations, leaves no option but to seek a new Security Council Resolution adopting measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter. We are now discussing a draft with other members of the Security Council. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed Iran with her EU counterparts on 17 October and 13 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has had with the Iranian authorities regarding (a) the conduct of the trials of Ahwazi Arabs and (b) the recent sentencing of 11 men to death by the Revolutionary Court; and if she will make a statement. (102647)

We have been closely monitoring the case of the Ahwazi Arabs, who have been sentenced to death recently for their alleged role in terrorist activities in Ahwaz, last year.

We oppose and condemn the death penalty in all its forms. In this case, we have specific concerns about the conduct of the trial including whether it was held secretly behind closed doors; whether a jury was present; and whether the defendants had adequate access to lawyers before the trial.

The presidency of the EU raised our concerns about this case with the Director General of the International Department of the Judiciary on 20 November and highlighted the EU’s long-standing objection to the death penalty in all its forms. We will continue to monitor this case closely with EU colleagues.