Chair,
On behalf of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, I thank Director General Grossi for his latest report on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Once again, we commend the Agency’s professional, independent and impartial work and their objective reporting on Iran’s nuclear programme. Unfortunately, the Agency’s findings are gravely concerning. The IAEA’s latest report confirms that Iran continues to undertake activities in blatant violation of the JCPoA and that there has been no improvement in its cooperation with the IAEA. The extent of Iran’s enrichment activities is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons, and have no credible civilian justification. The IAEA is currently unable to verify that Iran’s escalating nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful. This taken together with the recent statements by high-ranking Iranian officials calling for a change in Iran’s so-called nuclear doctrine, poses a serious threat to international security, and the non-proliferation regime.
Chair,
In the reporting period Iran has further expanded its enriched uranium stockpile and enrichment capacity. Iran has increased its stockpile of high enriched uranium by an alarming 50% since the last reporting period. Iran now has six significant quantities of high enriched uranium, which the Agency defines as six times the approximate amount of nuclear material from which the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded. Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium is now approximately 40 times the limit Iran committed to in the JCPoA.
Iran has increased the rate of production of high enriched uranium at the underground Fordow facility by seven times compared to the previous reporting period. And overall, Iran is now producing roughly one significant quantity of highly enriched uranium every six weeks. In addition, Iran has substantially expanded its enriched uranium production capacity by installing and operating new advanced centrifuges. In the reporting period, it has begun operating 5 new cascades in Fordow and 13 cascades in Natanz. It remains particularly concerning that enrichment continues to take place at Fordow, which we recall is a former undeclared enrichment facility.
As a result of Iran’s continued non-cooperation and lack of transparency, the DG’s latest report restates that the Agency has lost and will not be able to restore continuity of knowledge in relation to the production and inventory of centrifuges, rotors and bellows, heavy water and uranium ore concentrate.
Iran refuses to re-designate several experienced Agency inspectors. This is a politically motivated decision which seriously affects the IAEA’s ability to conduct its verification in Iran, particularly at its enrichment facilities. We deeply regret that Iran has not accepted the designation of the four additional experienced inspectors after pledging to consider it ahead of the November 2024 Board of Governors meeting.
The DG’s report also notes that it has been four years since Iran stopped provisionally applying its Additional Protocol, depriving the Agency of complementary access to critical sites and locations in Iran. Alongside this we remain alarmed by Iran’s repeated threats to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This poses a serious threat to the non-proliferation system upon which we all rely.
Chair,
The E3 have consistently worked towards a diplomatic solution to address Iran’s nuclear programme. In 2022 it was Iran who twice refused a negotiated outcome and instead escalated and expanded its nuclear programme. Let us be clear Iran has chosen to escalate its nuclear programme, far beyond the limits it committed to in the JCPoA and far beyond any credible civilian use, thereby causing a proliferation crisis.
We therefore urgently call on Iran to change course, and
(i) Halt and reverse its nuclear escalation and refrain from making threats regarding nuclear weapons;
(ii) Return to the limits imposed by the JCPoA, in particular those regarding enrichment levels and enriched uranium stockpiles;
(iii) Implement the Iran-IAEA March 2023 Joint statement and the commitments it made regarding transparency and cooperation with the IAEA including re-applying all transparency measures that it stopped in February 2021;
(iv) Allow the Agency to install surveillance and monitoring equipment where requested;
(v) Re-implement and swiftly ratify the Additional Protocol; and
(vi) Fully reverse its September 2023 decision to withdraw the designations of experienced inspectors.
Chair,
In light of the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme, there is an urgent need to address these concerns. The international community must remain united and firm in its determination to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The E3 will continue to work towards a diplomatic solution, and we stand ready to use all diplomatic levers to achieve this goal.
We ask the Director General to keep the Board informed on all relevant activities and developments within Iran’s alarming nuclear programme by regular and, if deemed necessary, extraordinary reporting. We ask for this report to be made public.
Thank you.
