British Foreign Secretary Meets Zarif in Tehran

On Monday, November 19, the British Foreign Secretary met with Iran's Foreign Minister in Tehran and is expected to meet with other officials of the Islamic Republic as well. The topics of discussion between Jeremy Hunt and Mohammad Javad Zarif include the future of the JCPOA, the crises in Yemen and Syria, human rights issues, and the freedom of Iranian-British citizens. This is Hunt's first visit to Tehran as the British Foreign Secretary. According to the British Foreign Office, Mr. Hunt will discuss the future of the JCPOA, European efforts to maintain the nuclear agreement, and existing solutions regarding sanctions with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Hunt stated that as long as Iran remains committed to the nuclear agreement, London will also adhere to it: 'The nuclear agreement, by eliminating the threat posed by a nuclear Iran, is a cornerstone of maintaining stability in the Middle East. This agreement requires 100% compliance to be saved.' These remarks echo what the British Prime Minister had previously stated. Theresa May emphasized in June that 'as long as Iran adheres to the JCPOA, we will also be committed to it.' Donald Trump and his administration have claimed that the nuclear agreement has not prevented Iran's 'malign' and 'destabilizing' activities, has time limitations, and has not curtailed the Islamic Republic's missile program and other actions. Ultimately, the Trump administration exited the agreement last spring and reinstated related sanctions. The Trump administration asserts that Tehran must completely change its behavior. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic has accused the United States of violating its commitments and thus cannot be trusted. In a statement released before his trip, Jeremy Hunt's office mentioned the necessity of preserving the nuclear agreement and stated, 'If we are to fundamentally address the challenges facing the region (Middle East), we need to witness an end to Iran's destabilizing actions in other parts of the region.' The UK, alongside other European powers, has expressed concerns regarding Iran's activities in the region, including the development and transfer of ballistic missiles to other parts of the Middle East. The Islamic Republic has consistently denied Western accusations of engaging in 'destabilizing actions' and intervening in other countries' affairs; however, Iranian officials do not hide their support for certain militia groups allied with the Islamic Republic. Just two days before Jeremy Hunt's visit to Iran, the leader of the Islamic Republic called for the 'preservation' of the militias known as Hashd al-Shaabi, Shia militias supported by Tehran, during a meeting with the Iraqi President. According to Mr. Hunt's office, another topic that will be raised in the meetings in Tehran is the issue of human rights and the freedom of Iranian-British citizens imprisoned in Iran: 'I come to this country with a clear message for the Iranian leadership: innocent people cannot and should not be used as a diplomatic leverage.' The issue of the detention of Iranian-British citizens in Iran has always been a topic of discussion between the two sides. Nazanin Zaghari, Abbas Edalat, and Kamal Foroughi are citizens currently in prison. Iranian officials have so far left Britain's requests for the release of Nazanin Zaghari unanswered, and there have been reports linking her fate to the issue of Britain's old debt to Iran. The state-run news agency IRNA reports that Jeremy Hunt will also meet with Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, at the Secretariat's location.