Source: http://www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releases/20080613_145.html http://www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releases/20080613_145.html
Date: June 13, 2008

Statement by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on the briefing of the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737, in the Security Council, June 13, 2008


Mr. President, 
Three months ago, this Council adopted Resolution to impose additional sanctions on Iran. These sanctions, as well as those adopted by the Council in Resolutions 1737 and 1747, are designed to discourage and halt Iran's pursuit of technologies that would provide it with a nuclear weapons capability. With that in mind, I would like to make five points.
First, we welcome the report of the Committee Chairman and are pleased to note the important activities being pursued by the Committee. We welcome the fact that many states have submitted the reports required by those resolutions and we encourage all states that have not yet done so to provide their reports to the Committee as soon as possible. We also reiterate this Council's call upon all states to exercise vigilance over the activities of financial institutions in their territories with all banks domiciled in Iran, in particular with Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, and their branches and subsidiaries abroad.
Second, we note with great concern the 26 May 2008 report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning Iran's continuing non-compliance with Resolutions 1737, 1747 and 1803. Most disturbing is that Iran continues to defy the Security Council and has not suspended its uranium enrichment- and heavy water-related activities. Instead, Iran has expanded its installation and operation of new centrifuges and is testing advanced centrifuge designs using nuclear material. Iran has also continued the construction of a new IR-40 reactor.
Third, long-outstanding questions about Iran's past nuclear activities, including those that indicate Iran's effort to develop a nuclear warhead, remain unanswered. IAEA Director General El Baradei stated clearly that Iran must provide substantive explanations for these activities, and that it is essential that Iran provide all requested information, clarifications, and access outlined in the report without further delay.
Fourth, we expect Iran to comply with its international obligations concerning its nuclear activities, including the full and verifiable suspension of its proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities and full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to implement the Additional Protocol. Only through all of these steps can Iran begin to establish confidence that the nature of its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.. Iran must provide to the IAEA full disclosure of any weapons-related work and allow the IAEA to verify that any such work has ceased.
Fifth, we affirm the dual track strategy on this issue, which is reinforced by the updated P5+1 package that will be delivered to Iran in the near term and reiterate our belief that a mutually satisfactory, negotiated solution remains open to Iran. At the same time, all Member States must implement robustly their obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1737, 1747 and 1803, as well as other pertinent resolutions. This Council should stand ready, in accordance with its stated intention in Resolution 1803, to supplement those sanctions with additional measures.