More than 80 Conservative parliamentarians have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggesting there is an "urgent need for our Government to unambiguously articulate the UK's policy towards Iran and its encouragement of violence in and beyond the Middle East".

The letter, coordinated by the Conservative Friends of Israel organisation, was sent to the PM ahead of the upcoming expiry of the United Nations arms embargo on Iran.

Signatories - including the MPs Andrew Percy, Imran Ahmad Khan and Theresa Villiers and Lord Leigh of Hurley, Lord Fink and Baroness McGregor-Smith - suggest the ending of the embargo will have a "far-reaching" impact on the Middle East where it will "embolden" Iran.

The letter calls for the PM to address seven questions relating to UK Government policy on Iran, including clarification on possible UK sanctions in response to continued Iranian non-compliance with the JCPOA nuclear deal and a call for the UK to consider proscribing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organisation.

Supporters of the letter - who include Chairmen of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the Defence Select Committee and a series of former Cabinet members - also write of the "regrettable" UK decision to not support a recent US effort to extend the arms embargo.

In the letter the 84 signatories state: "The end of the UN arms embargo will have far-reaching consequences for regional stability. It will embolden an already belligerent Iran and facilitate an influx of arms to Iranian proxies: Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

"They intend to jeopardise the historic regional movement towards peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours. This represents a direct threat to our allies and UK interests worldwide."

They claim this will lead to the "influx of Russian or Chinese advanced weaponry" into the region and poses a "direct threat to our allies and UK interests worldwide". 

The letter calls for the Prime Minister to address seven questions relating to UK government policy on Iran, including clarification on possible UK sanctions in response to continued Iranian non-compliance with the JCPOA nuclear deal and a call for the UK to consider proscribing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror organisation.

The United Nations conventional arms embargo is scheduled to expire on Sunday in accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 in 2015.

Iran has been in extensive non-compliance with the JCPOA nuclear deal as documented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including enriching uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade and stockpiling larger amounts than permitted.
 
In August, the United States led efforts at the United Nations to secure an extension of the UN arms embargo. The United Kingdom abstained, alongside France and Germany, and Russia and China voted against.

Speaking in the House of Lords last week, the Conservative life Lord Polak peer sought clarification from Minister of State Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on how "are we going to stop the spread of arms to the terror-supporting Iran?"

He added: "Our abstention on extending the UN arms embargo was an error of judgement.

"China and Russia were always going to veto to support Iran, three countries who are not known for honouring gentlemen's agreements.

"We should have voted with the US to make it clear that we oppose Iran accessing arms thorough the legitimacy of the UN.

"Sadly we chose to leave the US exposed and lonely when in truth we agree with them."