Claims of collaboration between UK universities and Iranian researchers on projects with potential military applications are currently under investigation, according to the Prime Minister.

Conservative MP David Davis raised the issue during Prime Minister's Questions, urging Rishi Sunak to take action to prevent further harm resulting from the failure of the UK's sanctions regime.

Reports have surfaced alleging that over a dozen UK universities have been involved in joint research with Iranian counterparts on drone technology, potentially violating the UK's sanctions regime. The concern stems from the fact that Iran has been sanctioned for various reasons, including supporting terrorism, destabilizing the Middle East, supplying weapons to adversaries, and nuclear weapons proliferation.

During his address, Mr. Davis highlighted the investigative report by journalist David Rose in the Jewish Chronicle, which detailed collaborations encompassing drone technology, fighter jets, battlefield armor, and laser communication. He called for a thorough investigation into the matter and prompt action to safeguard the national interests of the United Kingdom and its allies.

In response, Mr. Sunak emphasized that allegations of export control breaches are taken seriously. The Department for Business and Trade is currently investigating the claims made in the recent press article. Mr. Sunak asserted that collaborations compromising national security would not be tolerated and assured that measures have been taken to enhance the robustness of systems, including expanding the academic technology approval scheme to protect UK research from evolving global threats.

Acknowledging the significance of the issue, Mr. Sunak assured Mr. Davis that the government would stay vigilant and actively address the matter. Photo by Sonia Sevilla, Wikimedia commons.