Iran’s support for terror groups, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, its ballistic missile programme andnuclear ambitions represent the key obstacle to regional peace and a two-state solution.

• A regional peace and security agreement between Israel and its key Arab neighbours, which builds on the Abraham accords process (most importantly, including Saudi Arabia), is key to countering the threat posed by Tehran and furthering the path to Palestinian statehood. It also holds out the prospect of greater trade and prosperity; regional cooperation in the face of shared challenges like climate change; and new bonds of understanding and partnership between Arabs and Jews.

• Encouraging the expansion of the Abraham accords is a vital economic and strategic imperative for the UK, with potential benefits for the UK growth agenda.

• TheIranian regime’s pernicious activities present a growing threat to the UK’s interests and allies in the region and beyond. Its support for the Houthis endangers freedom of shipping and international trade. And its alliance with Russia and China is aiding Putin’s war against Ukraine, providing the Kremlin’s war machine with drones and missiles to terrorise Ukrainian civilians.

We want to support the government to: 

COUNTER THE IRANIAN THREAT

Britain should recognise and address the common security threats posed by Iran and its proxies to Israel and the rest of the region, working with our regional allies and the EU. We should sanction regime leadership, including through Magnitsky sanctions. We should tackle the “shadow fleet” which helps it evade sanctions. This requires action against the commercial entities – including ship managers, operators, insurers, financiers and shell firms, traders and ports – which enable these sanctions-busters to operate. UK, European and US sanctions should be coordinated and matched to prevent the loopholes Tehran has long exploited. And we should fulfil our commitment to create new proscription-like powers to proscribe hostile state entities like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The current sanctions regime alone cannot, and has not, curtailed the IRGC’s destabilising activities in the UK. A new proscription-like power will mean that IRGC members cannot be active in any respect in the UK, including attending or speaking at meetings. It means it will be a criminal offence for anyone in the UK to associate with the IRGC, to profess support for it, to share any materials created by the IRGC or attend any meetings with IRGC representatives. It will also mean this behaviour would be considered a criminal offence and IRGC online material would have to be removed.

STRENGTHEN AND DEEPEN THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS

Britain should promote the essential role of regional normalisation and security agreements in achieving a two-state solution; launching a review of our measures to support and expand the Abraham accords and establishing a special envoy for the Abraham accords, with the status of an ambassador. We should launch a review of the economic benefits – including trade – associated with the Abraham accords, including the opportunities to promote the UK growth agenda.

SUPPORT THE EMERGENCE OF A “NEW” MIDDLE EAST

Britain should support the Middle East’s diversification and economic growth agenda and work to build support for liberal democratic values in the region.