Delivered by the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN Mr. Sven Jürgenson
I thank all our briefers this morning for their statements and for their hard work in carrying out their respective functions. Allow me to thank also the Secretary-General and the Secretariat team for their continued professionalism by providing a well-researched and comprehensive report.
I will start by expressing Estonia’s support to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The JCPOA is a key element in global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and crucial for regional and wider international security. As the JCPOA is currently the only assurance for the international community regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, we do not want to see it collapse.
Nevertheless, Iran’s announcement in May 2019 to reduce its nuclear-related commitments under the Plan and the following steps taken are extremely concerning and worrisome, as they indicate a serious threat of nuclear proliferation. Although we commend that Iran continues to cooperate with the IAEA under the JCPOA, we note with concern Iran’s recent lack of cooperation with the Agency’s investigations under the safeguards agreement. Since cooperation with the IAEA is crucial in order to provide necessary assurances of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities, Estonia supported the resolution adopted at the latest IAEA Board of Governors meeting.
Estonia welcomes our European partners’ efforts to address and find a viable solution to the issues of non-compliance of the JCPOA within its framework and note the triggering of the Dispute Resolution Mechanism by France, Germany and the United Kingdom in January this year. We hope that other participants of the JCPOA engage constructively and substantively in this process.
The preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA also includes the compliance with all the provisions of the Security Council resolution 2231, including the restrictive measures set out in annex B of the resolution. The Secretary General’s report outlines Iran’s continued non-compliance with several of the provisions in regards to its ballistic missile-related activities and transfer of various arms to other actors in the Middle East. The report gives, therefore, rise to serious concerns.
The Secretary General’s report offers a detailed examination of the weapons seized by the United States in November 2019 and February 2020 and concludes that they were of Iranian origin and may have been transferred in a manner inconsistent with resolution 2231. Moreover, some of the items were similar or identical to those used in the attacks against Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and its international airport.
We also note with concern the information provided in the report regarding the launches by Iran of space launch vehicles in two instances. In undertaking such activity, Iran is not providing confidence that it is not developing technology capable of serving as a means of delivery of nuclear weapons.
Such weapons proliferation activities have a highly destabilizing effect to the region and only feed into the escalation of tensions. These very concerning activities do not lend any support to the planned expiry of the conventional arms restrictions this October, as established by resolution 2231.
To conclude, Estonia calls all parties to remain committed to the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA and of the resolution 2231. It is our common responsibility as members of the international community to work together to preserve the nuclear agreement and reach a diplomatic settlement through constructive dialogue and in good faith. We fully support efforts that are conducive to international peace and security.