24 June 2024
Thank you, President, and I will now deliver a statement in my national capacity.
I also thank Under Secretary-General DiCarlo and Ambassador Lambrinidis for their briefings.
We welcome the Secretary-General’s seventeenth report on the implementation of Resolution 2231 as well as the Joint Commission’s report on the status of the procurement Working Group’s decisions. We have taken note of both reports.
We remain fully committed to a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. We continue to support the JCPOA and the full implementation of its provisions as well as of resolution 2231.
The JCPOA, along with its endorsement in resolution 2231, was a great diplomatic achievement and a crucial instrument for nonproliferation efforts. We urge all parties to refrain from taking further steps away from the agreement and return to their commitments contained therein.
Malta commends the continued and professional and impartial work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In its most recent Ad Hoc report, dated 13 June, the Agency noted that Iran has further expanded its enrichment capacity at two nuclear facilities.
This is a concerning development which violates the commitments that Iran accepted under the JCPOA.
As of May this year, the IAEA had estimated that Iran’s total stockpile of enriched Uranium, including Uranium enriched to 60%, greatly exceeded the limits under the JCPOA. We urge Iran to downblend its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% and to immediately cease all production of highly-enriched uranium.
Furthermore, the IAEA noted that its monitoring and verification activities have been, and I quote, “seriously affected”, end quote.
This led to a loss of continuity of knowledge and impeded the Agency’s ability to assure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
We regret that Iran has not yet reversed its decision to withdraw the designation of several IAEA inspectors. We urge Iran to timely and fully cooperate with the IAEA and to return to the full implementation of its commitments under the JCPOA.
We are committed to ensuring that all parties take steps to return to full implementation of the JCPOA. And we support all diplomatic solutions in this regard.
In closing, I renew my call on this Council to ensure the full and effective implementation of resolution 2231.
I thank you.