Disarmament Documentation

Back to Disarmament Documentation

UNSCR on Nonproliferation, Statements by Permanent Members of the Security Council, 3 March 2008

• China
• France
• Russia
• United Kingdom
• United States

China Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang's Remarks on UN Security Council's Resolution on the Iranian Nuclear Issue

Q: The UN Security Council adopted a new resolution on the Iranian nuclear issue on March 3. Do you have any comment?

A: The purpose of Resolution 1803 adopted by the UN Security Council is not to punish Iran but to facilitate the resumption of talks, in a bid to activate a new round of diplomatic efforts. China hopes that resolutions of the UN Security Council and IAEA could be fully implemented in real earnest manner.

Diplomatic negotiation is the best option for the resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue. Foreign Ministers of China, the US, Russia, UK, France and Germany have issued a joint statement, pledging to step up diplomatic efforts, adopt creative ways, and actively press for the resumption of negotiations. China calls on all parties concerned to take a highly responsible and constructive attitude, exert necessary flexibility, and find a comprehensive, long-term and proper resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiations at an early date. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard.

Explanation of Vote, by China at the Security Council after Taking Vote on Draft Resolution on Sanctions against Iran 3 March 2008, New York

Mr. President,

The Security Council has just adopted a new resolution on the Iranian nuclear issue. This is the fourth Security Council resolution on the issue since July 2006. It reflects not only the international concern over the issue, but also the expectations of all parties on an early peaceful settlement of the issue through diplomatic negotiations.

At present, the international community has mixed feelings about the developments of the Iranian nuclear issue. On the one hand, the latest report by the Director General of the IAEA suggests that the Agency can verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran and has no concrete information about possible current undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran. Iran has clarified a series of outstanding issues such as uranium contamination, polonium experiments and uranium metal document, and provided information similar to that which Iran had previously provided pursuant to the Additional Protocol. China welcomes the abovementioned cooperation between Iran and the IAEA. On the other hand, the report also points out that Iran has not suspended uranium enrichment activities as required by the Security Council resolutions, has started the development of new generation centrifuges and continued construction of its heavy water reactor and production of heavy water, and the issues relevant to the possible military dimension of Iran's nuclear program remain outstanding. As the impasse on the Iranian nuclear issue is not yet broken, the international community is increasingly calling for strengthened diplomatic efforts and hopes that the parties concerned can find a breakthrough point soon and bring the issue back onto the track of settlement.

It is against such a background that the Security Council once again adopted a new resolution on the Iranian nuclear issue. Like the three previous resolutions, it is not aimed at punishing Iran, but urging Iran to return to the negotiating table and thus to reactivate a new round of diplomatic efforts. The sanction measures are not targeted at the Iranian people and will not affect the normal economic and financial activities between Iran and other countries. All the sanction measures are reversible. That is to say, if Iran suspends uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and complies with the relevant IAEA and Security Council resolutions, the sanctions will be suspended, and even terminated.

Mr. President,

China wishes to reiterate that sanctions can never resolve the issue fundamentally. It can only serve as a means to promote reconciliation and negotiations. The best way to resolve the issue is still diplomatic negotiations. We call upon all parties concerned to adopt a highly responsible and constructive attitude, show necessary flexibility as appropriate, give full play to their initiative and creativity, and demonstrate determination and sincerity in resuming negotiations. We call upon them to make unremitting efforts to enhance the all-round diplomatic efforts, seek a solution that will not only assure Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy but also address the international concern over nuclear proliferation, and strive for an early, long-term, comprehensive and proper solution of the Iranian nuclear issue. We call upon Iran to fully comply with IAEA and Security Council resolutions as soon as possible.

The Foreign Ministers of the six countries involved have issued a joint statement, where they reiterate their commitment to resolving the issue through diplomatic negotiations and express their readiness to strengthen diplomatic efforts and adopt creative approaches to vigorously facilitate resumption of negotiations. China hopes that all parties concerned seize the opportunity, engage themselves in closer contacts and dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect, increase mutual trust and reduce misperceptions, address each other's concerns and seek an approach that is acceptable to all for the resumption of negotiations. China is ready to work with all parties to make contribution to the peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Thank you, Mr. President.

France, Communiqué of the Ministry of foreign affairs, 3 March 2008

By a vote of 14, and one abstention, the United Nations Security Council adopted a third sanctions resolution against Iran. This resolution expresses, once again, the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program-concerns recently strengthened by evidence gathered by the IAEA concerning activities that could indicate a military dimension to the Iranian nuclear program.

By refusing to implement the measures successively demanded by the IAEA's Board of Governors and the Security Council to rebuild trust, Iran has left the international community no choice but to adopt new sanctions. The Security Council is thus formulating a call for vigilance and interdictions affecting several aspects of relations between Iran and the rest of the international community: They include activities by Iranian banks, notably Melli and Saderat, involved in proliferating transfers, the export of dual-use items, and transportation and shipping activities.

But sanctions are not an end in themselves. The resolution also recalls that the Six (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) want a negotiated solution, as the six foreign ministers stressed in their joint declaration following the vote. The Security Council resolution recalls the efforts expended by the Six to engage in a dialogue with Iran and, in particular, the ambitious proposal they made in June 2006 providing for cooperation in the area of civilian nuclear power as well as economic and political cooperation if Iran would agree to suspend its sensitive nuclear activities and to negotiate. This proposal remains on the table and we call on Iran once again to seize this opportunity to achieve a solution in the interest of all.

Stake out Conjoint France Royaume Uni, Allemagne M. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Deputy Permanent representative

The first thing is to say is that the Security Council has decided and that the decision is very clear. We have 14 votes in favour, no opposition. This is a clear signal and a very strong support for our approach. We welcome that result. Our three country have been working very hard to reach that objective, that result. France has been very actively engaged at that highest level. President Sarkozy has been talking in the last days with a number of his counterparts from Member States of the Security Council and therefore we are particularly happy to have reach that quasi unanimity today. And I think this is the clear expression of the large support of the Security Council to our approach which is an approach based on dialogue on one side, and our offer to solve this issue through dialog with Iran remains on the table. But it is also an approach based on the need to lend credibility to our willingness to solve the issue. We regret that today we had no choice but to submit and to adopt at the Security Council a new set of measures. We did that because Iran's failure to meet its international obligations let us no choice to do so.

Our readiness to dialogue and to engage Iran is still there. I would conclude by expressing the hope that Iran will listen to us and will respond to this clear message from the Security Council in engaging in a dialogue with us;

The fate of the 3 last resolutions show that Iranians will not bend to the requests. Has the security Council been used to cause more insecurity in Middle East ?

The answer to that question is very clear.

Yes, we have heard from the representative of Iran accusations that the Council was an instrument of a number of countries. But yet we saw how the Council expressed itself. What we are seeing on and on again are very large majorities in support of our resolutions. I think that is a clear response to these baseless consideration that there would be no large support of the international community.

Actually today the vote shows that there is a very large support to our approach and to the resolution we put forward.

Interview of Jean-Pierre Lacroix with France 24

First of all, I would like to emphasize the very large majority with which this resolution has been adopted.

We welcome that result, not only because it signals the strong support of the international community and the Security Council to our approach but also because France was very active in promoting unanimity or at least a very large degree of support. President Sarkozy was very active those last days and weeks and had consultations with a number of his counterparts from Member States of the Security Council. We really welcome this outcome.

The measures in the resolution that the Security Council adopted are the result of the situation which is that Iran has not met his international obligations. The IAEA report signalled very strong remaining concerns about the nature of the Iranian nuclear program, about the scope of that program. Iran has not suspended enrichment of uranium, Iran has not implemented the additional protocol of the IAEA, they have not allowed systematic and full inspection of this program. Therefore, we had no choice but to submit a new resolution with additional measures.

Now you asked me about the content of the resolution....

Let me rephrase the question. You said earlier that it was a rather modest resolution in terms of new sanctions. Why do you think it would work ?

It is not a modest resolution but yes, the sanctions themselves are a modest increment to what has been previously adopted by the Security Council. But this measures are none the less significant. You have a call to vigilance on the financials relations with Iran, you have a travel ban for some individuals who are believed are actively involved in the Iranian nuclear program, you have a call to inspection of cargo when countries have reasons to believe that those cargo might be related to prohibited goods.

We have a number of measures that will not only further hamper the development of the Iranian nuclear program but will also send a signal to all economic actors and others that relationship with Iran are not in normality anymore. Therefore they have to think seriously before engaging with Iran. So I think this is a very strong and very important signal. And we hope, Iran will listen to the message sent by the Council.

Interview à la télévision iranienne IRIB M. Jean-Pierre Lacroix

The first thing I would like to say is that France is one of the main proponent of peaceful nuclear energy. We have a very strong industry on this type of activity . We think it is important to allow all the countries that need and want to benefit from this energy to use it. But this is possible only if tehre is confidence. The basis for the action of the Security Council today, and of its previous actions, is that there is no confidence in the nature of the Iranian nuclear program.

The latest report of the IAEA expresses some very serious concerns, about doubts regarding the nature of that program, doubts regarding the scope of that program.

But the IAEA report has emphasized Iran's cooperation.

That is your reading. Yes there are some - some- limited progress that are mentioned by the IAEA but the overall assessment of the IAEA is that there are still very serious concerns, as I said, about the nature of the program and also about possible activities related to militarization.

I have to add that on top of the IAEA assessment Iran has been asked by the Security Council to suspend enrichment

Is the only to create trust is to suspend ?

This is a request by the Security Council. Together with full cooperation with IAEA and also with implementation of the additional protocol of the IAEA and the determination that was made not only by France, United Kingdom and Germany but by members of the Security Council is that Iran has not satisfy to his international obligations.

But the non aligned countries have emphasized the right for Iran to enrich...

Let me say one thing. I reiterated and countries belonging to the E3+3 France, Germany, UK, Russia China, United States, we collectively reiterated our willingness to engage with Iran to find a solution to this issue through negotiation.

The offer that we made to Iran, is an ambitious one, is a generous one. It is one that if implemented would offer very serious perspectives of cooperation between Iran and us and the rest of the world in the areas of economy and political areas as well. I think today it is very important to keep in mind that the offer is still on the table. We are willing to solve this negotiation. Sanctions are not a goal per se, sanctions are a way to make it clear that we are determined to solve this issue. Our main message that collectively we would like to send is that we hope that Iran will listen to that message sent by the Security Council.

And we hope, that it will engage in a dialogue with us, with a view to solve the issue.

In the past we had a bad experience. We suspended the enrichment without any result. How can you create trust between Iran and EU ?

Our reading of history can be different and I do not want to engage into that.

What I can say, and only repeat is that today there is a clear proposal for solving this through cooperation. That is what I can say.

Second thing is that, and it has been clearly said by the ministers of the six countries. Once confidence is restored in the peaceful nature of Iran nuclear program then there will be no difference in treatment of Iran and any other non nuclear Member State party to the NPT. There is no intention whatsoever to discriminate any Country. Our intention is to remove the doubts, remove the concerns about the Iranian nuclear program. And we have reached a stage in which we can engage in a political solution and re-establish fully normal relationship with Iran./.

Source: French Mission to the UN, http://www.franceonu.org/

Statement in Explanation of Vote by Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, on the Draft Security Council Resolution on Nonproliferation (Iran)

Russia has supported the draft resolution put to the vote. We note with satisfaction that the serious work of the six countries and due consideration for the opinions and suggestions of a number of nonpermanent Security Council members had brought the Council to a text that is balanced and meets the tasks at hand.

The resolution is in fact a political signal to Iran on the need for cooperation with the international community, on the basis of implementing the relevant decisions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the Security Council. This signal must be read in combination with the Statement of the six Foreign Ministers.

It is important that the Six have the willingness to develop proposals for further talks, from which Iran and the region as a whole could benefit, politically and economically, as well as in terms of security.

We note the recognition by the Security Council and the Six of Iran's lawful rights under the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We reaffirm that once confidence in the solely peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program is restored, it will be treated in the same manner as the program of any other non-nuclear-weapon state party to the NPT Treaty.

Another fundamental point is that today's decision, similar to those in resolutions 1737 and 1747, is taken under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the Charter and calls for no use of force whatsoever. The resolution also provides that any further steps by the Security Council if required will also be undertaken solely within a peaceful framework. As before, we believe that effective solution of the Iranian nuclear problem can be found only in the political and diplomatic sphere.

Russia favors a search for fresh approaches towards negotiations. Together with the partners in the Six we are prepared to facilitate a serious and concrete dialogue with Iran to settle all pending issues effectively.

Hopefully, Iran's leadership will carefully analyze the resolution and the statement and choose to meet the requirements of both the Council and IAEA, continue active cooperation with the Agency and help to launch negotiations to settle Iran's nuclear problem. It is important that the six countries should also be willing to engage in constructive cooperation with Iran. The necessity of such approach is borne out by the discussion in the Council and by the results of the vote on the resolution.

Source: Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, www.russianembassy.org.

Back to the Top of the Page

ADOPTION OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON NON-PROLIFERATION/IRAN (03/03/08)

Explanation of vote by Sir John Sawers, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations

Mr. President,

I would like to begin by reading the text of a statement which has been agreed by the Foreign Ministers of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, with the support of the High Representative of the European Union.

The statement reads as follows:

"Today the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1803, reflecting the international community's ongoing serious concerns about the proliferation risks of the Iranian nuclear programme. This is the third time that the UN Security Council has sent a strong message of international resolve to Iran by adopting a sanctions resolution under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations on Iran's nuclear programme. We deplore Iran's continued failure to comply with its UN Security Council and IAEA Board requirements, in particular by expanding its enrichment-related activities. We note the progress made in implementing the IAEA-Iran Work Plan and the IAEA's serious concerns about the "alleged studies," which are critical to an assessment of a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear programme. We call upon Iran to heed the requirements of UN Security Council and the IAEA, including the suspension of its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.

"We remain committed to an early negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and reaffirm our commitment to a dual-track approach. We reconfirm the proposals we presented to Iran in June 2006 and are prepared to further develop them. Our proposals will offer substantial opportunities for political, security and economic benefits to Iran and to the region. We urge Iran to take this opportunity to engage with us all and to find a negotiated way forward. We reiterate our recognition of Iran's right to develop, research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its NPT obligations. We reconfirm that once the confidence of the international community in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme is restored it will be treated in the same manner as that of any Non-Nuclear Weapon State party to the NPT. We remain ready to negotiate future arrangements, modalities and timing in this respect once the conditions for negotiations have been established.

"This will require further diplomatic efforts and innovative approaches. To that end we have asked Dr. Javier Solana, the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, to meet with Dr. Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and to address the interests and concerns of both sides in a manner which can gradually create the conditions for the opening of negotiations."

That concludes the statement on behalf of the six Foreign Ministers.

Mr President,

I should like now to make some remarks in my national capacity.

I welcome the participation today of the Permanent Representative of Iran. However, he made many points during his statement, which are open to clarification, argumentation and correction, which would take a long time.

The British Government welcomes the very broad support for this Security Council Resolution. Its adoption sends a clear message to the Government and people of Iran. It underlines yet again that the international community is profoundly concerned that Iran might be intending to use its nuclear programme for military purposes. The United Kingdom does not have confidence that Iran's programme is for exclusively peaceful purposes. On the contrary, to us their nuclear programme only makes sense as part of plan to develop, at the least, a nuclear weapons capability.

This Resolution is a necessary response to Iran's continued failure to comply with the requirement of the IAEA Board and the Security Council that, while we try to build confidence in Iran's nuclear intentions, Iran has to suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activity and work on all heavy water related projects; has to resolve all outstanding questions; and has to implement and ratify the Additional Protocol. The progress Iran has made with the IAEA addresses only one of those issues, and then only partially. Iran has refused to answer the most difficult questions about its past programmes or to meet IAEA request to speak to named Iranian officials. And as the IAEA report, far from suspending their enrichment activities, Iran has intensified its efforts, including by trying to develop a new generation of centrifuges. Overall, Iran has clearly failed to abide by its legal obligations under successive Security Council resolutions.

The political statement agreed by the Foreign Ministers of the E3 plus 3, with the support of the EU High Representative, makes clear that we remain committed to a negotiated solution on the basis of the far reaching proposals that the six countries agreed in Vienna in June 2006 and which, since that time, we have consistently urged Iran to accept. Our offer would give Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power programme, including legally guaranteed supplies of nuclear fuel. The offer provides Iran with a basis for a transformed relationship with all members of the international community, including with the United States. It is a matter of great regret that for the past 20 months, Iran has ignored our offer.

Mr President, Iran's leaders should listen to what the international community is saying rather than misleading their people by misrepresenting our actions and the IAEA's reports on their nuclear programme. I commend the efforts of the Director General and the officials of the IAEA, but Iran's failure to do what is required of them, as clearly stated by the IAEA, left us no option but to seek further measures in the Security Council.

Those further measures adopted today strengthen the restrictions on individuals and entities closely associated with Iran's proliferation sensitive nuclear activities and with its ballistic missile programme; they increase vigilance over the activities of Iranian banks, particularly Banks Melli and Saderat which we believe are engaged in proliferation sensitive activities; they introduce a provision for careful scrutiny of new commitments for export credits and guarantees to Iran; and encourage Member States to inspect cargo to and from Iran where there are grounds to believe prohibited items are being transported.

Mr. President,

By adopting this resolution, the Security Council has continued its incremental and proportionate approach, gradually increasing the pressure on Iran to address the widely shared concerns about its nuclear programme. Despite Iran's refusal to engage thus far, the British Government urges Iran's leaders to take the opportunity to suspend its enrichment related and reprocessing activities and to co-operate fully with the IAEA, paving the way for the suspension of sanctions and for the start of negotiations which would bring far reaching benefits to the Iranian people and greater stability to the Middle East. If Iran does not take this opportunity, then, as the Resolution makes clear, the Security Council is committed to implementing further additional measures.

Mr. President,

With this new resolution, the Security Council is reaffirming the clear choice confronting Iran's leaders: to cooperate with the international community and enjoy the benefits of normal relations with the rest of the World, or to pursue their nuclear programme in disregard of international concerns and worsen still further their international isolation. The choice is for Iran's leaders to make. The British Government hopes they take the positive path; the Iranian people deserve no less.

Thank you, Mr President.

Source: UK Mission to the UN, http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/

Back to the Top of the Page

Statement by Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on the adoption of Resolution 1803 regarding Iran and non-proliferation, in the Security Council, March 3, 2008

Thank you Mr. President.

Mr. President, the United States welcomes the adoption of resolution 1803. Iran's violations of Security Council resolutions not only continue, but are deepening. And instead of suspending its enrichment and reprocessing activities as required by the Council, Iran chose to expand dramatically its number of operating centrifuges and to develop a new generation of centrifuges, testing one of them with nuclear fuel. Iran continues to construct its heavy water research reactor at Arak, a potential source of weapons-useable plutonium. And still has not implemented the Additional Protocol. Once again, Iran has not made the choice the world had hoped for; once again, the Security Council has no choice but to act. At stake is the security of a vital region of the world and the credibility of the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency as they seek to hold Iran to its nuclear nonproliferation commitments.

Mr. President, the latest IAEA report states that Iran has not met its obligation to fully disclose its past nuclear weapons program. On the core issue of whether Iran's nuclear program is strictly peaceful, the report showed no serious progress. The IAEA presented Iran with documents assembled over a period of years from multiple nuclear states, from multiple member states and the Agency's own investigations. The documents detailed Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear warhead, including designs for a missile re-entry vehicle, and showed other possible undeclared activities with nuclear material. Iran dismissed these documents as "baseless and fabricated." But the IAEA does not share that conclusion.

Instead of slogans and obfuscations, the international community needs answers from Iran. For our part, I want to ask the Iranian authorities, "Why were you secretly working on designs for a nuclear warhead and its miniaturization to fit on a missile - all in violation of your NPT obligations? Why not tell the IAEA what happened and why?" On a matter of such global importance, the international community must be able to believe Iran's declarations that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes. Iranian leaders must as a first step cease enrichment and reprocessing activities and make a full disclosure of all of its weapons-related work. We agree with the IAEA that until Iran declares all of its nuclear activities and ceases its weapons-related work, Iran's nuclear activities cannot be verified as peaceful.

Mr. President, Iran has still not fully implemented the Additional Protocol, which the IAEA requires to determine what other undeclared activities are taking place. I want to ask the Iranian leaders, "Why are you not fully implementing the additional safeguards? What are you hiding?" So long as the Iranian government continues to be secretive about its nuclear activities, refusing to implement the Additional Protocol, we must inevitably conclude that Iran is hiding weapons work and thereby preserving or establishing options for a nuclear weapons program. Iran wants us to believe that its nuclear program is peaceful, but it must be transparent with IAEA inspectors. It should implement the Additional Protocol as the Council and the IAEA have repeatedly called for.

Mr. President, the latest IAEA report states that Iran is not suspending its sensitive nuclear activities. For almost two years now, this Council has required Iran to suspend all of its enrichment-related, reprocessing, and heavy water-related activities. To increase Iran's incentives to cooperate with the Council we have imposed sanctions, to which the Council has added once again today. I want to ask the Iranian leaders, "If your goal is to generate nuclear power for peaceful purposes, why do you court increasing international isolation, economic pressure, and more for a purported goal more easily and inexpensively obtained with the diplomatic solution we and others offer?"

Mr. President, the Iranian Ambassador did not answer the questions I have raised. He devoted his remarks to distorting the official record of the IAEA. He stated explicitly that Iran will not comply with the Council's demand to suspend enrichment. Iran continues to make the wrong choice, to choose the path of defiance and to divert attention from its nuclear program by exploiting the plight of innocent Palestinians and bashing Israel.

I want the Iranian people-and others around the world-to know that the United States recognizes Iran's right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. They should know that the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany have offered to help Iran develop civil nuclear power, if it complies with the Security Council's demand-a very reasonable demand-to suspend enrichment. They should know that the P5+1 package of incentives includes active international support to build state-of-the art light water power reactors and reliable access to nuclear fuel. The United States also supports Russia's supply of fuel for Iran's nuclear power plant in Bushehr. The delivery of this fuel exposes Iran's false claim that it needs to enrich uranium for civil nuclear power. A total of seventeen countries generating nuclear power today purchase their fuel on the international market rather than enrich uranium themselves. The Russian offer would provide fuel to Iran in a reliable way and would not contribute to proliferation.

Mr. President, Iran should do what other states have done to eliminate any doubts that their nuclear program is peaceful. Many states have made the decision to abandon programs to produce a nuclear weapon; two of them sit on the Security Council today as my colleagues: South Africa and Libya. Other countries that have stopped or stepped away from past nuclear weapon aspirations include Brazil, Argentina, Romania, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. These countries did not see their security diminished as a result of their decisions; indeed, one could easily say their security has been enhanced. Nor did they lose their right to develop nuclear energy. We urge Iran to take the same path these countries have chosen.

Mr. President, the international community has good reason to be concerned about Iran's activities to acquire a nuclear weapons capability. The present Iranian regime armed with nuclear weapons would pose a greater potential danger to the region and to the world. The Iranian government has been a destabilizing force in the broader Middle East and beyond. Contrary to its statements, Iran has been funding and supporting terrorists and militants for operations in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Their assistance has killed countless innocent civilians. The President of Iran has made many reprehensible statements-embracing the objective of destroying a member state of the United Nations. Because of these factors, the international community cannot allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. If Iran continues down its current path, it would likely fuel proliferation activities in the region, which, in turn, could cause the demise of the NPT regime itself.

Mr. President, the Ministerial Statement agreed to by the Permanent 5 and Germany shows that we remain committed to a diplomatic solution. If Iran shares this commitment, it will suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities and let diplomacy succeed. It gives us no pleasure, but regret, to have to pass another sanctions resolution. But our vote today demonstrates that the Council will act when countries violate their international obligations. We hope Iran will engage in constructive negotiations over the future of its nuclear program. Such negotiations, if successful, would have profound benefits for Iran and the Iranian people.

I want to close with a message to the people of Iran. America respects you and your great country. We want your country to be a full partner in the international community. And as President Bush has said, if Iran respects its international obligations, it will have no better partner than the United States of America. Thank you, Mr. President.

Source: US Mission to the UN, http://www.un.int/usa

Back to the Top of the Page