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STORY: UN / IRAN NON PROLIFERATION
TRT: 4:43
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 26 JUNE 2019, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
26 JUNE 2019, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary Di Carlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs:
“Such actions are not in the interests of the participants of the Plan and may not help preserve it. The Secretary-General encourages Iran to continue implementing all its nuclear-related commitments despite the considerable challenges it faces.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary Di Carlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs:
“We ascertained that those subcomponents were produced between 2000 and 2010, and some sold as recently as 2012. In our assessment, these production and sale date ranges are incompatible with the Scud missiles known to be in Yemeni stockpiles prior to the outbreak of the current conflict in early 2015.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) João Pedro Vale de Almeida, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations:
“The EU remains committed to the JCPOA. It does not accept any ultimatums and will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA and the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons).”
8. Med shot, ambassadors
9. SOUNDBITE (English) João Pedro Vale de Almeida, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations:
“Today we may be at a critical juncture regarding the future of the JCPOA. Yet, it should be recalled that the JCPOA is a nuclear agreement that has been working and delivering on its goals. There is also no credible, peaceful alternative to it. The EU -together with other partners of the international community will continue to work relentlessly to preserve the JCPOA as long as Iran abides by its commitments.”
10. Med shot, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Iran’s defiance of the Security Council, and its reckless behaviour threatening peace and security globally, must not be down-played in the name of preserving a deal that doesn’t fully cut off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. Iranian provocations have been relentless, and their excuses for every provocation – from launches using ballistic missile technology to procurement of prohibited items to support for the Houthis to flagrant violations of the arms embargo – strain credulity. Responsibility for Iran’s economic woes belongs to Tehran. Whether through gross economic mismanagement, corruption, or the redirection of its money for militaristic purposes around the region, Iran’s own behaviour has caused its economic decline.”
12. Med shot, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Majid Takht Ravanchi, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations:
“In practical terms, the JCPOA has become an agreement which is being respected only by one party. A multilateral agreement cannot be implemented unilaterally. Iran has done a lot and much more than its fair share to preserve the nuclear deal. Iran alone cannot, shall not and will not take all of the burdens anymore to preserve the JCPOA.”
14. Med shot, delegates
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Majid Takht Ravanchi, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations:
“The Islamic Republic of Iran entered into negotiations with goodwill, agreed with the JCPOA's conclusion with goodwill, implemented its commitment with goodwill, and after the US withdrawal, provided enough time to remaining JCPOA participants with goodwill to shoulder their responsibilities. Now, the remaining JCPOA participants, particularly the E3, must either prove their goodwill by taking timely, adequate, serious and practical steps to preserve the JCPOA which is now in critical condition or, along with the US, accept the full responsibility for any possible consequences.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Joanna Wronecka, Permanent Representative of Poland to the United Nations:
“The European Union has been clear that its support for the JCPOA relies on full implementation of the agreement by Iran. We welcome the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency to confirm Iranian implementation of its commitments, however, we are extremely concerned about the Iranian announcement regarding its nuclear commitments. We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitment under JCPOA in full and to refrain from escalatory steps.”
19. Pan right, ambassadors leaving stakeout
Iranian ambassador to the UN Majid Ravanchi said his country has done “much more than its fair share to preserve the nuclear deal” and stressed that Iran “alone cannot, shall not and will not take all of the burdens anymore to preserve the JCPOA.”
At a Security Council meeting today (26 Jun) discussing the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2331 which endorsed the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), Ravanchi said the withdrawal by the United States (US) from the deal rendered it almost fully ineffective with respect to Iran’s benefits. He said US threats to other countries to either violate the resolution of face punishment violates international law and further erodes trust in the Council.
The Iranian ambassador said his country paid a heavy price through its policy of strategic patience in order to preserve the nuclear deal, adding that in “practical terms, the JCPOA has become an agreement which is being respected only by one party.” He said, “A multilateral agreement cannot be implemented unilaterally.”
Ravanchi said Iran’s decision to limit its implementation of its commitments to the plan, namely in the reserve levels of enriched uranium and heavy water, was in full conformity with the JCPOA. He said the deal stated that in case of a re-introduction or re-imposition of sanctions, Iran would have the right to cease performing its commitments under the JCPOA in whole or in part.
SOUNDBITE (English) Majid Takht Ravanchi, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations:
“The Islamic Republic of Iran entered into negotiations with goodwill, agreed with the JCPOA's conclusion with goodwill, implemented its commitment with goodwill, and after the US withdrawal, provided enough time to remaining JCPOA participants with goodwill to shoulder their responsibilities. Now, the remaining JCPOA participants, particularly the E3, must either prove their goodwill by taking timely, adequate, serious and practical steps to preserve the JCPOA which is now in critical condition or, along with the US, accept the full responsibility for any possible consequences.”
UN political chief Rosemary Di Carlo said Secretary-General António Guterres regrets that the US recently decided not to extend waivers with regard to trade in oil with Iran and not to fully renew waivers for non-proliferation projects in the framework of the JCPOA. She said these actions may impede the ability of Iran and other Member States to implement certain provisions of the deal.
She also told the Council that Guterres regrets Iran’s recent announcement that it would not commit itself to respecting the JCPOA limits on its enriched uranium stockpile and heavy water reserves at the current stage, and that it would further suspend compliance with the uranium enrichment limits and measures to modernize the Arak reactor should the other participants not fulfil its demands, especially in areas of banking and oil, within 60 days.
SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary Di Carlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs:
“Such actions are not in the interests of the participants of the Plan and may not help preserve it. The Secretary-General encourages Iran to continue implementing all its nuclear-related commitments despite the considerable challenges it faces.”
Di Carlo also reported to the Council the UN’s analysis of subcomponents retrieved from ballistic missiles launched at Saudi Arabia by the Houthis in Yemen between March and June 2018. She said, “We ascertained that those subcomponents were produced between 2000 and 2010, and some sold as recently as 2012. In our assessment, these production and sale date ranges are incompatible with the Scud missiles known to be in Yemeni stockpiles prior to the outbreak of the current conflict in early 2015.”
She added that the UN also examined a number of additional arms and related materiel recovered in Yemen, including surface to air missiles and drones, and was confident that they were of Iranian manufacture. However, she said the UN had no indications as to whether those items were transferred from Iran after 16 January 2016.
The Head of the European Union’s delegation to the UN, João Pedro Vale de Almeida, said the JCPOA was delivering on its nuclear goal and, as confirmed by 15 consecutive IAEA reports, Iran has continued to implement its nuclear-related commitments, and must continue to do so.
He said the lifting of sanctions allowing for the normalization of trade and economic relations with Iran also constitute essential parts of the JCPOA, and as such, the EU deeply regretted the withdrawal of the US and its subsequent re-imposition of unilateral sanctions.
De Almeida noted that the operationalization of INSTEX (Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges), a special purpose vehicle conducive to effective financial channels, was moving ahead and would enable legitimate trade with Iran, consistent with international and European laws and regulations. He said, “The EU remains committed to the JCPOA. It does not accept any ultimatums and will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA and the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons).”
The EU representative said, “Today we may be at a critical juncture regarding the future of the JCPOA. Yet, it should be recalled that the JCPOA is a nuclear agreement that has been working and delivering on its goals. There is also no credible, peaceful alternative to it. The EU -together with other partners of the international community will continue to work relentlessly to preserve the JCPOA as long as Iran abides by its commitments.”
US ambassador Jonathan Cohen said Iran continues to destabilize the Middle East not only through support to terrorist groups and proxy forces, but now through attacks on commercial shipping. He added that Iran’s actions are deeply counterproductive and will increase Iran’s isolation.
SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Cohen, Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Iran’s defiance of the Security Council, and its reckless behaviour threatening peace and security globally, must not be down-played in the name of preserving a deal that doesn’t fully cut off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. Iranian provocations have been relentless, and their excuses for every provocation – from launches using ballistic missile technology to procurement of prohibited items to support for the Houthis to flagrant violations of the arms embargo – strain credulity. Responsibility for Iran’s economic woes belongs to Tehran. Whether through gross economic mismanagement, corruption, or the redirection of its money for militaristic purposes around the region, Iran’s own behaviour has caused its economic decline.”
Cohen said the United States had made clear its willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran to negotiate a deal that would better serve international peace and security, but in the meantime, it would not sit idly by while Iran perpetrates attacks on its partners in the region and on commercial vessels in the Gulf.
Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Polish ambassador Joanna Wronecka said it was more important than ever to preserve the JCPOA. Speaking on behalf of the current and future European members of the Security Council, Wronecka said the fulfilment of all nuclear related commitments remain fundamental to guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
She said, “The European Union has been clear that its support for the JCPOA relies on full implementation of the agreement by Iran. We welcome the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency to confirm Iranian implementation of its commitments, however, we are extremely concerned about the Iranian announcement regarding its nuclear commitments. We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitment under JCPOA in full and to refrain from escalatory steps.”
