Yesterday, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2231, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and my own country, the United Kingdom, notified the Security Council that we believe Iran to be in significant non-performance of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Since 2019, Iran has increasingly and deliberately ceased performing almost all of its JCPoA commitments.
This includes the accumulation of a high enriched uranium stockpile which lacks any credible civilian justification.
In fact, according to the IAEA, Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons producing high enriched uranium.
Iran has stopped providing IAEA access agreed under the JCPoA.
Moreover, it has recently significantly reduced the access to nuclear material and sites it is obliged to provide under the NPT.
Despite this, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are making every effort to resolve this diplomatically.
Most recently, we offered Iran an extension to snapback should Iran take specific steps to address our most immediate concerns.
Our asks were fair and realistic Iran’s resumption of negotiations on a comprehensive agreement, Iran’s compliance with its IAEA obligations, and steps to address our concerns regarding the high enriched uranium stockpile.
However, as of today, Iran has shown no indication that it is serious about meeting them.
It is not implementing its obligations to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
It has not reengaged in negotiations with the United States with a view to reaching an acceptable diplomatic resolution.
Our notification to the Security Council has now triggered a 30-day period.
It does not mark the end of diplomacy, our extension offer remains on the table.
We hope Iran will take the necessary steps to address the international community’s serious concerns over its nuclear programme.
We urge Iran to reconsider this position, to reach an agreement based on our offer, and to help create the space for a diplomatic solution to this issue for the long term.
Otherwise, targeted UN sanctions focused on tackling Iranian nuclear proliferation return at the end of this 30-day period.
We remain determined that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
While we have been left with no choice but to take this course of action, we remain committed to diplomacy and to the peaceful resolution of threats to global peace and security.
There remains a clear diplomatic pathway forward, should Iran choose to take it.
