I join others in thanking USG Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. We applaud the Secretary General’s twelfth report on the implementation of resolution 2231 and thank the UN Secretariat for their continuous professionalism and support.
A special thanks to Ambassador Byrne-Nason for her work as a 2231 Facilitator, as well as to His Excellency Olaf Skoog and Ambassador Byrne-Nason for their briefings.
We must be clear that Iran’s nuclear program has never been more advanced than it is now, and that Iran’s nuclear escalation poses a threat to global peace and security.
In addition to rapidly accumulating uranium enriched up to 20 percent and highly enriched uranium up to 60 percent, Iran has continued to reduce IAEA monitoring, most recently turning off twenty-seven monitoring cameras starting on June 8.
Iran has also continued to develop, install, and use new advanced centrifuges. Iran has also been manufacturing uranium metal, which offers information applicable to making bombs.
At the current rate of enrichment, Iran will probably have enough enriched material by the end of this year to quickly make HEU at a 90% enrichment for a number of nuclear devices.
In accordance with Annex B of resolution 2231, Iran also continues to build ballistic missiles.
The acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program clearly violates resolution 2231 and endangers global non-proliferation efforts as well as international peace and security.
President, after a year of protracted discussions, a settlement has been on the table since March.
At that time, a workable agreement existed that would bring Iran back into compliance with its obligations and the US into the agreement, stopping Iran’s nuclear development and eliminating US sanctions related to the JCPoA.
Iran, however, is refusing to seize the chance and is making demands that are outside the JCPoA’s purview. Iran needs to accept this arrangement immediately.
There won’t be a better one, and the JCPoA will be destroyed if Iran escalates its nuclear program without a deal being reached. In that case, it will be on to this Council to act forcefully to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.