Britain: No Unreasonable Concessions Were Made to Iran for Nuclear Agreement

Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary, warned against granting 'unreasonable concessions' to Iran to resolve its nuclear dispute during the tenth Manama Security Conference held on December 6, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in collaboration with the Bahraini Foreign Ministry. The Foreign Secretary stated that in nuclear negotiations with Iran, persistence and continuity should be prioritized over comfort. He added, 'We stood firm on our principled position regarding enrichment and resisted the temptation to offer unreasonable concessions to reach an agreement.' Two weeks ago, Iran and the U.S., along with Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany, the P5+1 group, agreed to extend nuclear negotiations in Vienna for another seven months after a week of intensive talks. The aim of extending these negotiations is to achieve a comprehensive agreement to finally resolve Iran's nuclear file and to lift all foreign sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The British Foreign Secretary noted that the concerns of the Gulf Arab states are also Britain's concerns, stating that stability in the Gulf region means stability and security for Britain and Europe. Philip Hammond emphasized the importance of security and economic cooperation and announced the signing of an agreement with the Bahraini Foreign Minister in the presence of the King of Bahrain, under which the British fleet will be present in Bahraini waters. He stated that the British fleet has frequently used ports and anchorages in the region, indicating historical cooperation with partners in the Gulf. In another part of his speech, Philip Hammond discussed major challenges in Yemen, Libya, and Iraq, adding, 'Today we face radical political Islam that has no connection to civilization.' He referred to one of the international achievements this year, saying, 'This year the world mobilized to confront ISIS. Many countries contributed militarily against ISIS, with the United Arab Emirates conducting more airstrikes than others.' The British Foreign Secretary also mentioned the consequences of the Syrian crisis, stating that regional countries have borne the brunt of its repercussions. He added that Gulf Arab states have spent significant amounts to engage with the Syrian situation, amounting to $8 billion. He considered the solution to the crises in Iraq and Syria to be the existence of strong governments capable of confronting challenges. However, regarding Syria, he stated, 'Bashar al-Assad's performance shows that he cannot be a partner for us.' Philip Hammond also welcomed what he termed 'the progress that the Iraqi government is witnessing' and the agreements signed by the government in Baghdad with the Kurdistan Region. He stated that political will must be provided for the Iraqi government to fulfill its duties. The British Foreign Secretary emphasized the need to engage with moderate currents in the region, as confronting ISIS's 'brutal operations' is a priority. He also praised the roles of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait in actions taken to prevent 'financial assistance to terrorism.' In another part of his speech, Philip Hammond described Iran as 'a tough but important neighbor' for regional countries. He said that no effort should be spared to resolve Iran's nuclear file, but at the same time, dangerous deals in this regard should not be made. The British Foreign Secretary stressed, 'We must ensure that Iran's nuclear program has only peaceful applications and at the same time, we must not overlook Iran's support for Bashar al-Assad.' He spoke of a lack of trust in Iran's nuclear activities, adding that resolving this file and achieving trust could have a positive reflection on the entire region. The British Foreign Secretary stated, 'Iran must engage with regional countries to find solutions to problems, rather than being part of the crisis itself.' He noted, 'The war against ISIS has created an opportunity for Iran to prove this matter.' The British Foreign Secretary also addressed the situation in Yemen, stating that all parties, including Iran, must have constructive interactions to end the security crisis in the country. Philip Hammond referred to recent developments in Jerusalem, stating that these developments show that the solution of establishing two states, Israeli and Palestinian, is very necessary, although the horizon for this solution seems bleak. He emphasized that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas must strive to continue negotiations to find a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The British Foreign Secretary described the Middle East as filled with problems and emphasized, 'Economic prosperity can build sustainable security.'