Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was very struck yesterday by my engagement with a number of countries, including France, which is part of the EU3. When I was looking back on all this yesterday too, I was reminded of the years in which the world made some degree of progress in relation to these issues. We were at our best when we were trying to advance the JCPOA. The question now is if we can use this space that a temporary ceasefire provides us with to try to get back into some process of real and sustained meaningful dialogue and diplomacy. I was alarmed and concerned with my engagement with Iran over the weekend. I heard reference to that country effectively threatening to not play a role in the non-proliferation treaty, NPT, and to walk away. That sort of thing will not impact Iran but will have more devastating effects on the international community. It is about trying to get back into a process. I know what people say about politicians talking about de-escalation. It does, though, really matter. The escalatory spiral here in terms of moving away from the NPT can be very significant. I think we are certainly in a better place today than we were yesterday but we need to now underpin this cessation of violence by intensive engagement. I am happy to come back to the committee on the conference in general and to take its input in advance of that 2026 meeting because we have a lot of thinking to do between now and then and where the world is at in this regard.