IAEA Board of Governors Meeting
Statement by HE Dr Brendon Hammer, Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Agenda Item 6 (Iran): Verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)
5 June 2018
Thank you, Chair.
Chair,
Australia continues to attach the highest importance to the Agency’s activities in Iran under the JCPOA. Just as we attach the highest importance to the JCPOA itself.
Accordingly, we have expressed our disappointment at the US decision to withdraw from the agreement.
Though we do share – with many other members of the international community – considerable concerns about elements of Iran’s behaviour in the Middle East.
Chair,
Australia’s support for the JCPOA is informed by ongoing advice from the Director General – including in his public statement on 9 May 2018 – that Iran is implementing its nuclear commitments, and that the JCPOA is a “significant verification gain”.
We respectfully call on all remaining parties to the JCPOA – including Iran – to continue fully to implement the agreement’s provisions.
Chair,
We thank the Director General for his report of 24 May 2018 contained in GOV/2018/24, and Deputy Director General Aparo for his comprehensive technical briefing on 30 May.
Australia values the factual information provided by the IAEA through these mechanisms, which continue to provide high levels of transparency around Iran’s implementation of its nuclear related commitments.
Australia also welcomes the Director General’s advice that, under the Additional Protocol the Agency has been able to gain complementary access to all of the sites and locations in Iran that it has asked to visit.
We fully support the Director General’s call for Iran to engage in timely and proactive cooperation with the Agency to provide such complementary access.
Such cooperation enhances confidence that the JCPOA is working.
Equally, we welcome Iran’s continued provisional application of the Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement – pending its entry into force, and we call on Iran to pursue early ratification of the AP.
Chair,
We note reference in the Director General’s report to Iran’s decision to build a naval nuclear propulsion system and Mr Aparo’s advice of a new uranium enrichment initiative by Iran.
We encourage Iran to liaise very closely with the Agency on both of these matters, and to ensure all steps taken are in full compliance with the JCPOA.
Chair,
Australia welcomes the rigour and professionalism that the Agency applies to its implementation of safeguards under the JCPOA.
We commend the Agency on its regular and detailed technical assessments.
These have continued to provide authoritative assurance that Iran is in full compliance with the JCPOA.
Chair,
Australia supports the public release of the Director General’s report GOV/2018/24.
Thank you.