GOV.UK - Statement from France, Germany and the UK delivered to the IAEA Board of Governors at the September 2020 meeting.



Thank you Chair,

France, Germany, and the United Kingdom would like to thank the Director General for his latest report (GOV/2020/41) and the Deputy Director General for the Technical Briefing.

As participants to the JCPoA, we reiterate our continued commitment to the preservation and full implementation of the nuclear agreement. The E3 has worked hard to preserve the agreement. We have gone beyond our own commitments to facilitate legitimate trade with Iran, including by introducing the INSTEX mechanism.

However, we are extremely concerned by Iran’s continued violation of its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA, which seriously undermines the non-proliferation benefits of the agreement. Some of these measures have irreversible consequences. This is why the E3, on 14 January, initiated the JCPoA’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism. We did so in good faith and in hope of finding a diplomatic way forward, while preserving the agreement.

We are deeply concerned by Iran’s announcement that it intends to install new advanced centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz. This would increase Iran’s enrichment capacity and cross JCPoA limits on the types, number and locations of centrifuges. We call on Iran to refrain from this step.

We are also concerned at Iran enriching uranium above the 3.67% JCPoA limit, and its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, which is now 2,105kg. This is roughly ten times the JCPOA limit. Contrary to the JCPoA, Iran is also enriching at Fordow: this facility has no justifiable civilian use.

Iran also continues to conduct research and development on several types of advanced centrifuges not permitted under the JCPoA. The IAEA report notes that Iran is making preparations to install additional IR5 and IR6s centrifuges at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at the previously unused ‘Line 1’. Iran must halt any research and development of advanced centrifuges contrary to the provisions of the JCPoA.

The Joint Commission met on 1 September, at which the E3 stressed that Iran’s non-compliance with its nuclear commitments is putting the JCPoA at risk. We will pursue further discussions within Joint Commission processes. We hope this Board can send a clear message to Iran that it is crucial that it reverses all nuclear measures contrary to the Agreement and returns to full compliance of its commitments under the JCPoA.

As previously noted, we regret US withdrawal. In regards to the US letter to the UN Security Council referring to procedures under UNSCR 2231 on 20 August, we recall that the position expressed by E3 Foreign Ministers in their joint statement of 20 August is still valid.

We once again thank the IAEA for its latest report and welcome the rigorous and impartial implementation of its mandate by the Agency. We call on the Agency to continue to provide further detailed technical updates, as appropriate, and would welcome a decision to make its latest quarterly report public.

Thank you.