To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken at (a) United Nations and (b) EU level in response to the finding by the UN Iran Sanctions Committee that the vessel MV Monchegorsk was transporting arms-related material from Iran to Syria. (270678)

We continue to have discussions with our UN and European partners to improve enforcement of sanctions against Iran. As Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou has said, the Monchegorsk was in “clear” breach of UN sanctions banning Iran from exporting arms and related materiel. By retaining the cargo at a secure facility, Cyprus has dealt with the situation effectively and in line with UN and EU requirements.

We are continuing to support the Committee’s ongoing efforts to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008). All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UN Sanctions Committee has received reports from (a) Iran and (b) Syria on the shipment of arms-related material from Iran to Syria in the vessel MV Monchegorsk. (270679)

On 9 March 2009, the Chairman of the UN Security Council’s Iran Sanctions Committee requested reports from both Iran and Syria on this incident, which was in violation of a legally-binding chapter VII Security Council resolution.

Syria replied to the Chairman of the Iran Sanctions Committee on 17 March 2009.

Iran did not reply directly, but issued a press statement on 31 March 2009 claiming that the shipment was “within the framework of normal trade transactions”.

The letter from Syria included no denial that sanctions had been breached. We are pressing through the Committee to ensure full implementation of the measures prescribed in UN Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006) 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008) and gain a full explanation for the breach from the countries concerned. All states have an obligation to comply fully with mandatory measures imposed by the UN Security Council.