"Iran continues to develop its arsenal of ballistic missiles" [fr]

Thank you Madam President.

I would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General, the Facilitator in charge of promoting the implementation of resolution 2231 and the Chargé d’affaires of the European Union for their presentations.

France is extremely concerned. Iran is continuing its destabilizing activities, which are contrary to its international obligations on the nuclear, ballistic, regional and extra-regional levels.

First of all, on the nuclear front, as documented by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran is continuing its escalation and is assuming the risk of a major crisis.

A few weeks ago, Tehran announced its intention to significantly increase its enriched uranium production capacity, as well as its production of highly enriched uranium at the Fordow site, well beyond the limits set by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. This decision carries serious proliferation risks and has no credible civilian justification. In doing so, Iran gains irreversible knowledge and further empties the JCPoA of its content.

These actions are especially concerning because Iran has ceased to implement all transparency measures under the JCPoA, which undermines the ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the exclusively peaceful purpose of Iran’s program. The Council gave this Agency a mandate through Resolution 2231, which Iran’s decisions no longer allow it to exercise. This is indeed a matter for the Security Council.

The European Coordinator has made a proposal to Iran that is the best possible way to return to the JCPOA. It is unfortunate that Iran has not seized this opportunity by maintaining demands that it knows are unacceptable and go beyond the scope of the JCPoA. Iran’s actions undermine the balance on which this proposed agreement, negotiated over many months, is based and close the window for an immediate diplomatic solution.

The JCPoA negotiations cannot be used as a pretext to allow Iran to fail to meet its legally binding international obligations to implement its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. To date, Iran has not engaged in substantive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency to address outstanding issues.

Madam President,

I would like to address three other activities of Iran that are of equal concern:

First, Iran continues to develop its arsenal of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This can be seen in the firing of space launch vehicles whose technologies contribute to the development of an intercontinental ballistic capability.

Second, we condemn Iran’s transfers of weapons, missiles and their components and means of production to state and non-state actors in the region. These transfers are contrary to Council resolutions. They place Iran and its proxies in a position to threaten international peace and security.

Third, and more specifically, France condemns the transfer of Iranian combat drones to Russia. This violates paragraph 4 of Annex B of Resolution 2231. Russia is using these drones to systematically target the Ukrainian civilian population and infrastructure, causing the death of many civilians and constituting war crimes. New drone strikes against Kiev caused damage just today.

We warn Iran against any further arms deliveries to Russia. This would be a serious escalation, in particular the transfer of short-range ballistic missiles. This would have serious consequences that could only lead to Iran’s international isolation.

We hope to be informed soon when the Secretariat will visit Ukraine to investigate and report back to this Council, as is its mandate and as it has done in the past in other regions.

Madam President,

The solution must be respect for international law, dialogue and de-escalation. We call on Iran to return to respecting its obligations and to put an end to its dangerous and hopeless headlong rush.

Thank you.