20 September 2012 - Iran - Statement by Mr Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

I would like
to thank Ambassador Osorio for his quarterly report
on the activities of the Committee established pursuant
to resolution 1737 (2006) and his awareness-raising
activities in Member States, particularly the open
meeting of the Committee held on 9 July. That allowed
for many delegations to learn about their obligations
under the Security Council resolutions on the topic.

This quarterly report shows once again that Iran
continues to violate its international obligations. It
recalls that Iran continues to attempt to bypass the
sanctions regime established by Council resolutions
and seeks to acquire sensitive materials and to export
weapons. I would highlight Iran’s arms embargo
violations that benefit the Syrian regime, brought to
light by the recent report of the Panel of Experts. As the
Damascus regime has been massacring its own people
for over a year now, it is increasingly urgent to strictly
apply sanctions in order to stop Iran from providing
the Al-Assad regime with weapons that enable it to go
about its sinister task.

I would also like to note my country’s concern
regarding the Iranian missile programme, in particular
Iran’s revelation that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards
tested Shahab-3 missiles in July 2012. That was a
violation of resolution 1929 (2010) and the Committee
must assume up its responsibilities.

Finally, the Committee must also ensure the full
implementation of the recommendations contained in
the report of the Panel of Experts. That means pursuing
designations and updating the lists of property, people
and individuals subject to sanctions, as recommended
by the report of the Panel of Experts, in order to counter
Iran’s attempts at dissimulation and to bypass sanctions.
We must therefore designate without delay the entities
YasAir Cargo Airlines and SAD Import-Export
Company that are accused of transferring weapons and
military equipment to Iran, as I noted earlier.

The Council is aware of the 30 August report of the
Director General of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA). The report once again highlights
Islamic Republic of Iran’s refusal to act in compliance
with its obligations and international commitments
under Security Council resolutions and the Board of
Governors of the IAEA. The report of the Director
General underscores Iran’s failure to cooperate with the
IAEA on pending items related to a possible military
dimension of Iran’s nuclear programme, which explains
why the discussions between the Agency and Iran have
led to no concrete results.

The report also underscores the concealment and
demolition activities conducted by Iran at the Parchin
military site, where the Agency suspects Iran of
having conducted concept testing for a nuclear device.
This significantly undermines the Agency’s ability to
verify the nature of activities conducted on that site.
The report also adds that there is ongoing development
of enrichment activities, in particular in the Fordow
site, where the uranium enrichment capacity has been
doubled. Uranium stocks enriched to 3.5 per cent and
20 per cent continue to grow without the possibility of
having a civil explanation for these activities.

In the face of repeated violations of Security
Council and IAEA resolutions, the Agency adopted
by an overwhelming majority a new resolution firmly
condemning Iran’s attitude, calls upon it to uphold its
international obligations without delay and notes that
its cooperation is necessary and urgent to restoring
the international community’s trust in the exclusively
peaceful use of the Iranian nuclear programme. That
trust is lacking today.

France welcomes that resolution. It is absolutely
crucial for Iran to swiftly and unreservedly cooperate
with the IAEA so as to shed full light on all pending
matters and to cease those activities that undermine the
Agency’s work. Iran must suspend all of its sensitive
activities conducted in violation of its international
obligations. The adoption of the resolution by an
overwhelming majority once again demonstrates the
unity and determination of the international community
on the Iranian nuclear issue. The current stand-off pits
Iran against the international community as a whole
and not just against some of its members.

We remain open to dialogue. Indeed, for some
10 years now we have spent hundreds of hours in
discussions with Iran. We would nevertheless note that
these discussions have been in vain. The many meetings
that have taken place in Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow
between the E3+3 and Iran bear witness to that. The
E3+3 have offered balanced proposals to Iran, but that
country has not demonstrated a readiness to negotiate
and has instead accelerated its sensitive and prohibited
activities. This has been the case for almost 10 years
now. We are trying to negotiate, but Iran unf linchingly
continues its nuclear activities. Thus, as long as Iran
will not uphold its obligations, we must shoulder our
responsibilities and increase pressure on that country
to convince it that it dialogue, rather than isolation and
provocation, is in its best interests. As a consequence,
together with those countries willing to do so, we shall
strengthen sanctions against Iran so long as it continues
to refuse to uphold its obligations. We are only asking
Iran for one thing — that is, to negotiate. Iran is not
doing so.

Learn more on Iran