Adoption
of UN Security Council Resolution on Iran
Statement
by Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Permanent
Representative of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland to the United
Nations
Mr.
President,
I
would like to begin by reading the text of a
statement which has been agreed by the Foreign
Ministers of China, France, Germany, Russia, the
United Kingdom and the United States of America,
with the support of the High Representative of
the European Union:
The
statement reads as follows:
“The
unanimous adoption of Security Council
Resolution 1747 reflects the international
community’s profound concerns over Iran’s
nuclear programme. We deplore Iran’s failure
to comply with the earlier resolutions of the
Security Council and the IAEA, and we call upon
Iran once again to comply fully with all its
international obligations.
We
are committed to seeking a negotiated solution
that would address the international
community’s concerns. The purpose of
negotiations would be to reach a comprehensive
agreement with Iran, based on mutual respect,
that would re-establish international confidence
in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s
nuclear programme and open the way to improving
relations and developing wider cooperation
between Iran and all our countries
We
recognise Iran’s rights under the NPT to
develop research, production and use of nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with
its NPT obligations. In this respect, future
arrangements, modalities and timing will be
dealt with in negotiations.
Full
transparency and cooperation by Iran with the
IAEA is essential in order to address
outstanding concerns We reiterate our full
support for the IAEA and its staff.
We
stand by our “suspension for suspension”
proposal. That means that for the duration of
negotiations, which would take place within an
agreed timeframe, extendable by mutual
agreement, Iran would maintain an IAEA verified
suspension as required by Security Council
Resolutions 1737 and, now, 1747 and Security
Council discussion of Iran’s nuclear programme
would also be suspended, as would the
implementation of the measures adopted under the
relevant Security Council Resolutions.
We
reconfirm the proposals we presented to Iran in
June 2006. They include cooperation with Iran on
civil nuclear energy, legally-binding guarantees
on the supply of nuclear fuel, and wider
political security and economic cooperation.
These proposals remain on the table.
We
urge Iran to take this opportunity to engage
with us all and to find a negotiated way
forward. Our proposals would bring far-reaching
benefits to Iran and to the region, and they
provide a means to address the international
community’s concerns while taking account of
Iran’s legitimate interests. In a region that
has known too much instability and violence, let
us find an agreed way forward that builds
confidence and promotes peace and mutual
respect. In this spirit, we propose further
talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran to see
if a mutually acceptable way can be found to
open negotiations.”
That
concludes the statement on behalf of the six
Foreign Ministers.
Mr
President,
I
should like now to make some remarks in my
national capacity.
It
is just short of a year since this Council first
took action on the Iranian nuclear issue,
following the referral of the issue to the
Council by the IAEA.
Our
concern throughout has been two-fold: to promote
prospects for a negotiated solution, on which
suspension of enrichment by Iran depends; and to
reinforce the role of the IAEA, as our
resolution today again does.
These
concerns led to elaboration of a detailed offer
of long-term co-operation from the six nations
whose Ministers’ statement I have just read.
But those Ministers also agreed to seek further
Security Council action on Iran should our
demands not be met.
Iran’s
continuing defiance prompted the adoption of SCR
1696 in July 2006, setting the framework of the
Council’s actions, including a binding Chapter
VII decision that Iran should suspend its
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.
Despite this, Iran ignored this Council.
This
led in turn to further Council action. On 23
December, the Security Council adopted, as today
by unanimity, resolution 1737, re-affirming the
mandatory requirement for Iran to suspend its
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities,
and clarifying that Iran must also suspend
construction of the heavy water research reactor
at Arak. It also introduced a number of measures
aimed at restricting Iranian development of
sensitive nuclear technologies and its
development of ballistic missiles which could
deliver them.
The
measures were an incremental and proportionate
response to Iran’s failure to comply with the
requirements of Resolution 1696, aimed at
persuading Iran that its interests were best
served by putting in place the conditions
necessary for discussions to seek a negotiated
resolution of the issue.
As
requested in Resolution 1737, IAEA Director
General Mohamed El-Baradei reported on 22
February that Iran had continued to pursue these
sensitive technologies, in defiance of its
obligations under international law. This was
the backdrop to the intensive and constructive
deliberations that have led to this resolution
today.
By
adopting this resolution we have continued our
incremental and proportionate approach,
increasing gradually the pressure on Iran to
address the concerns shared across the
international community.
We
have strengthened the restrictions on
individuals closely associated with Iran’s
sensitive nuclear activities and with its
ballistic missile programme, prohibited arms
sales from Iran and urged vigilance over the
supply of heavy weapons to Iran. We have also
urged restraint in making finance available to
the Government of Iran.
I
should clarify the United Kingdom’s
understanding that the new Resolution does not
introduce any changes to the provisions in
paragraph 15 of Resolution 1737. The asset
freeze, therefore, does not prevent a person or
entity designated in the annexes to UN Security
Council Resolution 1737 and to this Resolution
from making payment due under a contract entered
into force before that person or entity was
listed in cases covered by paragraph 15.
This
resolution, building upon SCRs 1696 and 1737,
sends a unanimous and unambiguous signal to the
government and people of Iran. To both we say
that we prefer and are committed to the path of
co-operation. But we say also that the path of
proliferation by Iran is not one that the
international community can accept. We want Iran
to make the right choice: co-operation with the
international community, which requires the
removal of any doubt that Iran could develop
nuclear weapons. The resolve of the Council is
clear. Iran must make its choice.
Thank
you, Mr President
