IAEA Board of Governors
Agenda item 8(c): NPT Safeguards Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran
11 September 2024
Statement by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Governor and Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Australia remains seriously concerned by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s protracted failure to comply with its NPT Safeguards obligations outlined once again by the Director General in his most recent report to the Board.
We note with concern that yet again, no meaningful progress has been made since our last meeting regarding Iran’s outstanding safeguards issues. These need to be resolved for the Agency to be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.
As the Director General regrets in his report, it is 21 months, nearly two years, since this Board decided that it was ‘essential and urgent’ that Iran clarify these issues. They remain unresolved. At its last meeting in June, the Board reaffirmed its decision that Iran must take necessary actions to fulfil its legal obligations without delay. The Board’s call has not yet been heeded.
Iran continues to fail to provide the Agency with the information and access required to address Iran’s outstanding safeguards issues. The lack of information and access is the basis of the IAEA’s inability to confirm the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran.
Despite abundant time and opportunity, Iran has yet again failed to substantially work to resolve the outstanding safeguards issues related to the Varamin and Turquzabad sites. Its statements about both sites are not credible, and it continues to fail to inform the Agency of the current sites of nuclear material and/or equipment used at these locations. Further, we note with concern the Director General’s indication that the amount of nuclear material unaccounted for, involved in past uranium metal production experiments at the Jaber Ibn Hayan Multipurpose Laboratory, is greater than previously assessed. We support the Agency’s ongoing consideration of this issue.
Chair
Australia continues to repeat its calls on Iran to fulfill all legal obligations under the Subsidiary Arrangements to its safeguards agreement and fully implement Modified Code 3.1 without further delay. Iran’s purported unilateral ‘suspension’ of Modified Code 3.1, and its failure to provide design information about planned new nuclear facilities, continue to be disturbing.
We regret that Iran’s decision to withdraw the designation of experienced IAEA inspectors in September of last year remains unchanged and urge Iran to reconsider this decision. Iran’s de-designation of inspectors seriously affects the Agency’s ability to fulfil its verification mandate consistent with Iran’s NPT safeguards agreement, in particular at enrichment facilities. As the Director General has stated, Iran’s stance is unambiguously contrary to the cooperation that is required, and this decision should be reversed. We also note with concern Iran’s failure to respond to the Agency’s request to service cameras at Esfahan.
Chair
We regret Iran’s failure to agree to voluntary monitoring and verification measures proposed by the IAEA under the terms of the 4 March 2023 Joint Statement. We call on Iran to engage constructively and without delay with the IAEA on concrete and substantive measures to implement the Joint Statement.
Satisfactory resolution of all these issues is indispensable to inform the Agency’s understanding of Iran’s nuclear program.
Chair
This entirely unacceptable situation has stood for too long. It is essential that Iran comply with the decisions of this Board and immediately cooperate, fully and in good faith with the IAEA to clarify and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues.
Finally Chair
Australia is grateful for the tireless, impartial and professional efforts of the Director General and the Secretariat to engage with Iran on implementation of its NPT safeguards agreement, including through his efforts to engage with President Pezeshkian’s government. We welcome the Director General’s commitment to keep the Board appraised of developments and request that GOV/2024/44 be made public.
Thank you, Chair.