§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that Russians are working on Iran's nuclear, chemical and biological programmes. [73250]
§ Mr. Tony LloydRussia has extensive commercial relations with Iran, including in the nuclear energy field. Russia's obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) forbid her to assist any other country's nuclear weapons programme. Its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BTWC) would prevent assistance to the development of chemical or biological weapons. Iran is also a party to the NPT, CWC and BTWC. We have detailed contact with both Russia and Iran on non-proliferation issues. As with other countries, we take up with them directly concerns we have of non-compliance with their obligations under such conventions.