Speech: E3 statement to the IAEA Board of Governors on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, March 2023

Chair, Chair, Chair, The Director General states in his report that Iran’s decision to stop cooperating with the monitoring and verification activities agreed in the JCPoA means the Agency would no longer be able to re-establish continuity of knowledge even in the event of a full JCPoA resumption. Iran’s decision to remove Agency surveillance and monitoring equipment has had detrimental implications for the Agency’s ability to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. We urge Iran to re-install all equipment deemed necessary by the IAEA and to allow for the monitoring and verification of its nuclear programme as agreed in the JCPoA. It is of utmost importance that Iran implements in a timely manner the Joint Statement between the AEOI and the IAEA to allow the IAEA to implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities. Iran should take the necessary steps to provide the Agency with the information necessary to rebuilding continuity of knowledge. This has become more necessary than ever given the increasing seriousness of Iran’s escalations. We strongly support the Director General continuing to regularly and fully report on this issue. We deeply regret that Iran did not accept the fair and balanced deal that the JCPoA Coordinator tabled in March and August last year, and instead chose to accelerate its programme. Iran bears full responsibility for this situation. We urge Iran to immediately stop and reverse its nuclear escalation, and allow for complete transparency with the IAEA by re-applying the Additional Protocol, as an important confidence-building step. We also recall that, under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, Iran is legally obliged to implement Modified Code 3.1. and cannot change its application or withdraw from it unilaterally.

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