IAEA Board of Governors Meeting: 7-11 March 2016
Statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA
Item 6: Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)
Mr Chair,
The Australian delegation thanks the Director General for his 26 February report GOV2016/8 entitled, ‘Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)’.
As others have noted, this is the first report by the Director General on the verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) since Implementation Day was reached on 16 January this year. It is, therefore, appropriate for the Board to look particularly carefully at this initial report and provide guidance about its expectations for the future.
We have come a long way in the last two years; all sides have worked hard to build trust to the point where we have the prospect of implementing the JCPOA fully. This is in our collective interest.
The Director General’s reports should help build and maintain the trust of the Board, and of Member States more generally, that the JCPOA is being faithfully implemented. They should demonstrate the continuing attention of the parties to their commitments. They should provide enough information to build confidence and follow the record of implementation of the JCPOA over many years.
We welcome the Director General’s systematic approach in the report to addressing the elements outlined in Annex 1 of the JCPOA, including heavy water and reprocessing, enrichment and fuel, centrifuge research and development, manufacturing and inventory, transparency and other relevant information. We anticipate that new elements, particularly in relation to Iran’s provisional application of its Additional Protocol, will be included in future as the relevant information becomes available.
We would appreciate the inclusion of statistical information, including on quantities, stocks and numbers, in the regular reports to the Board. This is in keeping with the clear expectation of the Board, including its resolution of 15 December, for transparency on Iran’s implementation of its commitments under the JCPOA.
Australia looks forward to the Director General taking these views into account when providing his regular written reports to the Board on Iran’s implementation of its commitments under the JCPOA.
Australia supports the public release of the Director General’s report GOV/INF/2016/8.