Security Council
Briefing on Non-Proliferation/Iran
18 July 2016
Statement
Mr. President,
We thank Japan´s Presidency of the Security Council for convening today´s session on this exceedingly critical international issue; we also thank the Facilitator for his report on the implementation of Resolution 2231 (2015).
The agreement reached with Iran on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), after years of complex and very difficult negotiations, was swiftly followed by the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2231 by the Security Council, in July 2015, endorsing the JCPOA, which came into effect, three months later, on 18 October 2015, at the Adoption Day.
Further, the submission by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of a report confirming that Iran had taken the actions specified in the JCPOA, brought the agreement to the landmark Implementation Day, with sanctions impending over Iran lifted.
From now on, concerted efforts by Iran and the International community must be applied leading, in the long term, to the adoption of the resolution on the Termination Day, in which the IAEA Director-General declares the Broader Conclusion, according to which all nuclear material in Iran is exclusively used for peaceful purposes, hopefully at a time that Iran will be fully integrated in the international community and able to give a meaningful contribution to international peace and security, given its importance as a regional and international player.
The conclusion of the JCPOA was a decisive step forward in strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and a demonstration that with spirit of compromise and political will the most difficult issues in international relations may attain diplomatic and peaceful solutions; the JCPOA was also a breaking ground development in the Middle East, where diplomacy was unable to score any gains since the peace treaties concluded between Egypt and Jordan with Israel, many years ago.
Mr. President,
The JCPOA prompted a fundamental shift in the Iranian nuclear program; its conclusion and implementation confirms how the international community and Iran are willing to forge a new relationship, based on mutual respect and cooperation.
It is our expectation that the JCPOA smooth implementation and the exclusively pacific nature of Iran´s nuclear program will contribute to build trust, deepen and expand cooperation in all areas, including to issues pertaining to peace and security in the Middle East.
In the last six months, since Implementation Day and the Note by the President of the Security Council setting forth arrangements and procedures for the implementation of resolution 2231, concrete steps have been taken in structuring a framework for the resolution´s implementation, through the establishment of a channel for communication between Security Council members with the Joint Commission, in the holding of discussions among representatives of the Security Council and the creation of the webpage for those interested in the implementation of resolution 2231.
We took good note of the measures of transparency, outreach and guidance developed by the Facilitator and the Secretariat with a view of improving the resolution´s implementation and its understanding, namely concerning procedures related to the submission of proposals to the Security Council that retains a central role in reviewing and deciding on the procurement and supplying, inter-alia, of nuclear-related transfers and activities.
We deem as absolutely essential the rigorous implementation of the JCPOA. To this end, the strengthening of mutual trust is a fundamental prerequisite, by keeping dialogue and diplomatic channels permanently open in a spirit of goodwill, to resolve all contentious issues arising from the agreement´s implementation, and by guaranteeing that the Iranian nuclear program remains exclusively for peaceful means, an outcome that would benefit nuclear non-proliferation worldwide.
We fully subscribe to the Facilitator's recommendation that the Security Council must ensure that the JCPOA as stated in resolution 2231 is conducive to promoting and facilitating the development of normal economic and trade contacts and cooperation with Iran.
Mr. President,
Concluding, we call on the JCPOA signatories to do their utmost to deepen political and diplomatic cooperation towards appropriate solutions to the Middle East conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and put in place a real unity of purpose in the fight against terrorism.
Iran is a great regional power whose cooperation is key for the attainment of solutions to the conflicts in the region. We firmly believe that a new chapter in the relations between the western powers with Iran, if unlocked, could provide bright perspectives for peace and security in the whole region.
Finally, we appeal to the Iranian authorities to continue implementing the JCPOA provisions with the same rigor and in good faith, and to persevere in strengthening trust with its partners, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of the country and the easing of tensions in the region.
Thank you.