Unofficial Transcript

UN Security Council Meeting on Non-Proliferation (Iran)
July 20, 2015


COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  The 7,488th meeting of the Security Council is called to order.  The provisional agenda for this meeting is nonproliferation.  The agenda is adopted.  
In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Germany and the Islamic Republic of Iran to participate in this meeting.  It is so decided.  
In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite His Excellency Mr. Thomas Mayr Harting, head of the delegation of the European Union to the United Nations to participate in this meeting.  It is so decided.  
The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda.  Members of the Council have before them document S/2015/547, the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations.  The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it.  
I would like to thank all Council members for cosponsoring the draft resolution, which is now a presidential text.  I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.  
Will those in favor of the draft resolution contained in document S/2015/547 please raise their hand.  The result of the voting is as follows:  the draft resolution received 15 votes in favor.  The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2231, 2015.  
I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the vote.  I give the floor to the representative of the United States.  

UNITED STATES:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Today, we have adopted a UN Security Council resolution enshrining the joint comprehensive plan of action, JCPOA, agreed to six days ago in Vienna.  By now, many are familiar with the basic tenets of the deal, which if implemented, would cut off all pathways to fissile material for a nuclear weapon for the Islamic Republic of Iran, while putting in place a rigorous inspection and transparency regime to verify Iran's compliance.
The JCPOA will cut the number of Iran's centrifuges by two thirds and prevent Iran from producing weapons-grade plutonium.  Iran will also get rid of 98% of its stockpile of enriched uranium, going from a quantity that could produce approximately 10 nuclear weapons to a fraction of what is needed for a single nuclear weapon. 
The deal will quadruple Iran's breakout time, the time needed to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear weapon from the current estimate of two to three months to one year.  It will also require Iran and all states to comply with legally-binding restrictions on nuclear conventional arms and ballistic missile-related activities.  
Ninety days from today when our respective capitals and legislatures have had a chance to carefully review the deal's provisions, the commitments in the JCPOA should take effect.  Sanctions relief will begin only when Iran verifiably completes the initial steps necessary to bring its nuclear program in line with the deal.  
It is important today to step back from the JCPOA to its larger lessons, lessons about enforcing global norms, the essential role of diplomacy, the need for ongoing vigilance and the absolute necessity of the unity of this Council, lessons that have implications both for ensuring implementation of the deal and for tackling other crises that confront us today.  
This year, we mark 70 years since the founding of the United Nations, which the second Secretary General, Dag Hammarskjold, famously said, -was not created to bring us to heaven, but to save us from hell.  
In the wake of the devastating loss of life in the Second World War and the immeasurable suffering it causes, representatives from nations around the world came together with an aim, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.  The first lesson we can learn from how this deal was secured is that it is not enough to agree to global norms, such as that against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.  This Council, and all the countries of the United Nations, must actually take steps to enforce global norms.
In 2006 in response to Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program, the United Nations Security Council put in place one of the toughest sanctions regimes in its history, which was complemented by robust sanctions imposed by the United States, several other countries and the European Union.  
Faced with Iran's ongoing noncompliance, the UN tightened its sanctions in 2007, 2008 and 2010.  This sanctions regime played a critical role in helping lay the groundwork for the talks that would give rise to the JCPOA.  
The second lesson is one most eloquently articulated more than 50 years ago by President John F. Kennedy, and echoed last week by President Obama.  Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.  
Given the devastating human toll of war, we have a responsibility to test diplomacy.  In 2010 when then US-ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, spoke in this chamber after the Council's strengthened sanctions on Iran, she cited the ways in which Iran had violated its commitments to the IAEA and its obligations under prior Security Council resolutions.  Yet she also said, The United States reaffirms our commitment to engage in robust, principled and creative diplomacy.  We will remain ready to continue diplomacy with Iran and its leaders.
And when a credible opening emerged for negotiations, that is exactly what the United States and the other members of the P5+1, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China, and the EU did.  There were many occasions over these last two years of grueling negotiations when any party could have walked away.  The distances just seemed too great, the history between us searing, and the resulting mistrust defining.  But the United States and our partners knew that we had a responsibility to try to overcome these obstacles and resolve the crisis peacefully.  
One only has to spend a week in the Security Council, any week and hear accounts of the bloodshed and heartbreak in Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, Darfur, Mali, Libya, or any other conflict-ridden part of the world to be reminded of the consequences of war.  Sometimes as both the UN charter and history make clear, the use of force is required, but we all have a responsibility to work aggressively in diplomatic channels to try to secure our objectives peacefully.
This nuclear deal doesn't change our profound concern about human rights violations committed by the Iranian government or about the instability Iran fuels beyond its nuclear program from its support for terrorist proxies to its repeated threats against Israel to its other destabilizing activities in the region.  That is why the United States will continue to invest in the security of our allies in the region and why we will maintain our own sanctions related to Iran's support for terrorism, it's ballistic missiles program and its human rights violations.
And this deal will in no way diminish the United States' outrage over the unjust detention of US citizens by the government of Iran.  Let me use this occasion to call once again on Iran to immediately release all unjustly detained Americans.  Saeed Abedini, imprisoned for his religious beliefs, Amir Hekmati, falsely accused of espionage, and Jason Rezalan, a Washington Post correspondent who just a year ago was covering the nuclear negotiations.  
I also call on Iran to help locate Robert Levinson, who has been missing from Iran since 2007.  No family should be forced to endure the anguish that the Abedini, Hekmati, Rezalan and Levinson families feel, and we will not rest until they are home where they belong.
But denying Iran a nuclear weapon is important not in spite of these other destabilizing actions, but rather because of them.  As President Obama pointed out, That is precisely why we are taking this step because an Iran armed with a nuclear weapon would be far more destabilizing and far more dangerous to our friends and to the world.
So while this deal does not address many of our profound concerns, if implemented it would make the world safer and more secure.  Yet while reaching this deal matters, our work is far from finished.  In the months and even years ahead, the international community must apply the same rigor to ensuring compliance to the JCPOA as we did to drafting and negotiating it.  
This is my third point.  Implementation is everything.  And that is precisely why so many verification measures have been built into this deal.  The JCPOA will grant the IAEA access when it needs it, where it needs it, including 24/7 containment and surveillance of Iran's declared nuclear facilities.  
Inspectors will have access to the entire supply chain that supports Iran's peaceful nuclear program, from mining and milling to conversion to enrichment to fuel manufacturing to nuclear reactors to spent fuel.  If the terms of the deal are not followed, all sanctions that have been suspended can be snapped back into place.  And if the United States or any other JCPOA participant believes that Iran is violating its commitments, we can trigger a process in the Security Council that will reinstate the UN sanctions.  
The fourth and final lesson we can learn from the process that led us here today is that when our nations truly unite to confront global crises, our impact grows exponentially.  The founders of the United Nations understood this concept intrinsically and enshrined it in the charter which calls on each of us to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.  
In the 21st Century, it is now an axiom that our nations can do more to advance peace, justice and human dignity by working together than any single country can achieve on its own.  And indeed, that only when we act as united nations can we address the world's most intractable problems.
Although we don't see this unity enough here at the UN, the countries of the United Nations did largely unite behind the cause of preventing nuclear proliferation in Iran, and it was the persistent, multilateral pressure that came out of this unity combined with a critical openness to seeking a diplomatic solution that gave the P5+1 and EU negotiators the leverage they needed to get the deal that would advance our collective security.  
Let me conclude.  Ultimately, the only proper measure of this deal and all of the tireless efforts that went into it will be its implementation.  This deal gives Iran an opportunity to prove to the world that it intends to pursue a nuclear program solely for peaceful purposes.  If Iran seizes that opportunity, if it abides by the commitments that it agreed to in this deal, as it did throughout the period of the JCPOA negotiations, if it builds upon the mutual respect and diligence that its negotiators demonstrated in Lausanne (?) and Vienna, and if it demonstrates a willingness to respect the international standards upon which our collective security rests, then it will find the international community and the United States willing to provide a path out of isolation and toward greater engagement.  
We hope Iran's government will choose that path, not only because it will make the United States, its allies and the world more secure -- though it will -- but also because it will more fully empower the Iranian people, whose potential all of us should wish to see unlocked.  
But just think for one moment how much more effective this Council would be if we were to bring the same approach to tackling other threats to international peace and security today.  Rigorous enforcement and willingness to be relentless in our pursuit of tough, principled diplomacy, even when the odds seem stacked against us, a commitment not just to resolutions but to their full implementation, and a willingness to overcome divisions to strengthen our collective security.  
If we did all this, just think what we might be able to achieve to mitigate the horrific suffering in Syria today, and just think what progress the United Nations could make were we to bring the same political will to advancing the human rights of the world's most vulnerable people, as we have to cutting off Iran's pathway -- pathways to a nuclear weapon.  
How many more girls worldwide would be in classrooms?  How many more warlords and dictators worldwide would be behind bars.  It is humbling to imagine how much more we could achieve.  It should motivate us to do far more.  Thank you. 

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of the United States for her statement.  I give the floor to the representative of China.  

CHINA:  Mr. President, just now the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2231 on the Iranian nuclear issue, endorsing the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue reached between the P5+1, namely China, France, Russian Federation, Germany, the United Kingdom, USA and Iran in Vienna on 14 July.  
Efforts over the past 10 years over the Iranian nuclear issue, despite ups and downs, have finally resulted in the political solution.  With the conclusion of the comprehensive agreement, the International Nuclear Nonproliferation regime is safeguarded.  Iran has made its political commitment to not developing nuclear weapons and at the same time is given the legitimate right to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Iran's relationship with all sides has also turned a new page.  The conclusion of the comprehensive agreement has given us a revelation of far-reaching significance about contemporary international relations.  First, setting up a new type of international system centering on mutual benefits and win/win is an endeavor that has strong vitality.  The nuclear -- the Iranian nuclear issue based on the immediate interest and even the core interest of all sides without a multi-win and win/win spirit, the comprehensive agreement could happily be reached or if it were reached, it would not last long.
Secondly, it is essential to stay the course in seeking political solution.  However difficult a process is, political solution is always the only practical and viable pathway.  
The comprehensive agreement has also created a successful example for coping with other international and regional hot-spot issues through political and diplomatic means.  Thirdly, as long as one maintains confidence, demonstrates political will and makes remitting efforts during the process of seeking a political solution, it will be possible to achieve success.  
The adoption by the Council of the resolution endorsing the comprehensive agreement is the first important step in the process of implementation of the agreement.  It is a good beginning.  The process of implementation of the agreement in the next 10 years will be even more important.  It is essential to adhere to the following principles.
First, implement the resolution of the Council and the comprehensive agreement in a balanced, accurate and comprehensive manner.  All sides should effectively fulfill the commitments they have respectively made and seriously and effectively implement all the provisions of the agreement.  Second, in accordance with the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, it is essential to appropriately resolve the differences that may arise during the process of implementation, demonstrate goodwill and stay the course for the implementation of the comprehensive agreement.  
Third, it is necessary to constantly take stock of the experience and good practices during the process of implementation, maintain the effectiveness of the relevant mechanism, and make positive efforts to maintain world peace, promote regional stability and improve relationship among all sides.
China has all along worked constructively for the fruitful negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue, and we will continue to make new contributions to the implementation of the comprehensive agreement in a responsible manner.  Thank you, Mr. President.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of China for her statement.  I give the floor to the representative of France.

FRANCE:  President, France welcomes the adoption of this resolution, which represents a historic moment both for international peace and security, as well as for our Council.  After 12 years of nuclear crisis, we finally managed to reach agreement with Iran on the 14th of July in Vienna following several months of intensive negotiations.  
This agreement lays out a roadmap for the forging of trust in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.  It proves the relevance and robustness of our nonproliferation regime.  
This agreement will also contribute to regional and international stability.  An Iran with nuclear weapons would have further destabilized this region, which is already wracked by so many crises.  Conversely, thanks to this agreement, we can write together a new chapter in the history of this region.  
It is above all the authority of our Council and our collective security system, which has been strengthened thanks to this agreement.  One of the most serious crises of the last two decades, if the commitments contained within the agreement are met, be resolved peacefully through the path of dialogue and negotiation.
President, this agreement first and foremost proves the success of a method.  As you know, at the onset of the crisis in 2003, France, together with Germany and the United Kingdom, has favored, and has always favored the path of dialogue by what -- via what we call the double approach negotiations and sanctions.  
Our conviction was that the resolve and the pressure from the international community were essential.  Otherwise, the dialogue would have gone unheeded.  Our American, Russian and Chinese partners, and indeed the entirety of the Security Council, rallied to this approach, and we were therefore able to put together the negotiations framework, which 12 years later has allowed us to achieve our purpose.
This agreement is the fruit of resolve.  Throughout the negotiation process, France has not deviated from its oft-stated position.  Yes to civil nuclear capacity for Iran.  No to nuclear weapons.  In this context, France has tirelessly involved itself in the question for negotiated solution.
It is this spirit of constructive resolve that has allowed us to reach a robust and binding agreement.  It is a specific comprehensive and credible agreement whose full implementation will satisfy the expectations of the international community and delay the concerns of Iran's neighbors.  
President, it is now the responsibility of the Security Council to endorse the Vienna agreement and then stand as a guarantor of its implementation of its provisions.  If the time of negotiations is now over, we are entering into a time of action and vigilance or oversight.  
The implementation process includes clear and specific limitations on the Iranian nuclear program.  It also provides for a robust monitoring verification system and has a snap-back provision which would allow for the automatic reimposition of sanctions should Iran violate its commitments.
It falls now to Iran to implement within the agreed timeframe all of the measures agreed to.  That is its responsibility.  The IAEA will play a key role in monitoring, verifying and updating our Council on Iran's respect for its commitments.  France, together with its partners, will in good faith and authentically monitor compliance with this agreement.  
We will judge by its actions Iran's willingness to make this agreement a success.  The role and the unity of the Security Council will also be crucial.  The lifting of the sanctions previously imposed by the Security Council is conditional upon Iran's abiding by its commitments.  
Our Council should continue to be vigilant throughout the lifetime of the agreement and be ready over the next 15 years to reimpose sanctions, should Iran fail in its obligations.  
Today, we are together turning the page to a new chapter, our eyes wide open as we do so.  But the main body of said chapter remains to be written.  And the next few weeks will be decisive in all of this.  I thank you very much.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of France for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.  

RUSSIA:  I'd like to thank you, Mr. President.  The resolution adopted today unanimously in support of the joint comprehensive plan of action ushers in a fundamental shift in the consideration by the Security Council of the situation related to the Iranian nuclear program, with a view to once and for all resolving this issue.
We turn not simply a page, but a whole chapter in the work of the Council by creating a new reality.  We expect that all countries will quickly adapt to the new conditions and will contribute to successful implementation of the agreement.  
The Security Council and the international community it represents has supported a clear choice to resolve the situation pertaining to the Iranian nuclear program through political and diplomatic means on the basis of international law, first and foremost on the basis of the NPT.  A choice has been confirmed in favor of mutual respect, stability and cooperation.  We are happy that the base for the decision has been a gradual approach and one based on reciprocity, which our country has consistently supported throughout all phases of the negotiations.
Today the Security Council has confirmed the inalienable right of Iran to develop a peaceful nuclear program, including to enrich uranium while ensuring comprehensive control by the IAEA.  The resolution guarantees the removal of the burden of sanctions on Iran in the framework of the implementation of the JCPOA through a clear and transparent mechanism, which will be made operational by concrete steps based on confidence in Iran and regarding its nuclear program and its verification by the IAEA.
The JCPOA, as confirmed in the resolution, contains reliable filters that will guarantee that all disputes and disagreements that could arise in the course of the implementation of the JCPOA will be subject to collective consideration and in the framework of the joint commission and with the participation of the P5+1 and the EU, the Security Council maintains the leading role in the issues of JCPOA.  
Now during negotiations, we knew that the plan of action would be subject to approval by the Security Council.  Hence, we focused specific attention on ensuring the prerogatives of this body as laid out in the charter to respect the role of all its members, including not permanent members in taking decisions that are essential to implementing the agreement, and we're grateful to the IAEA for its readiness to ensure monitoring and verification of Iranian obligations.
Now we hope that the agreement with Iran will help other countries in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf to refrain from destabilizing moves, including in the nuclear sphere, and ensure that the region does not enter a new arms race.  Good, positive conditions are being created to create a zone in the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and to find common approaches among countries of the Middle East to deal with the issues, original security issues, including ensuring that their collective efforts are faced against a terrorist threat.
In a statement following the conclusion of the negotiations, President Putin underscored that Russia will do everything it can to ensure that the Vienna agreements are fully -- become fully operational to strengthen international security, regional security, global nonproliferation regime and mobilizing a broad coalition in the region to counteract the terrorist threat.
Mr. President, we would like to note that all the negotiating teams of all participating countries deserve the highest praise.  We'd like to in particular commend the governments of Austria and Switzerland, who ensured optimal conditions for ensuring success.  We'd also like to praise our friends from Kazakhstan who organized several rounds of negotiations.
Reaching an agreement to resolve the issues surrounding the Iranian nuclear program clearly demonstrates that where there is a political will when it's based on realism and respect for legitimate mutual interests of the international community, the most complex tasks can be resolved.
All the participants of the negotiations have clearly demonstrated their readiness to engage in collective efforts.  A reserve of trust has been built up which will be very useful in the course of implementing the agreement.  We hope that this invaluable experience in joint efforts will be unburdened by ideological calculations based on geopolitical interests and it will be used to resolve other crisis situations.
Russia will be ready to do this.  Thank you.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.  

UNITED KINGDOM Matthew Rycroft
Thank you Mr President.
The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution endorses the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed in Vienna last week. It creates the baseline from which to recalibrate our broader relationship with Iran. And it is an opportunity for us all to re-engage economically and culturally with an important regional power as it takes on its proper responsibility for improving stability in the region.
Today’s adoption is an important milestone in the history of this Council. It is the culmination of negotiations that have taken place over more than a decade. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is a landmark achievement and I join my colleagues in expressing my congratulations and gratitude to everyone who has been involved in this process.
In this Council we often call for the peaceful resolution of disputes and in some cases progress is slow and situations remain unresolved. But while in the past we have met to call on Iran to respond to our concerns, today we can be proud that Iran has committed to take actions to address those concerns.
	I am delighted that the Council has endorsed this deal unanimously. It is a good deal - good for the UK and the international community, good for the region, good for Iran. If implemented fully this resolution will address our proliferation concerns through comprehensive commitments by Iran to limit its nuclear programme. Commitments which will be verified through extensive monitoring and transparency.
And as soon as Iran takes steps on its nuclear programme, it will receive comprehensive economic and financial sanctions relief, enabling it to trade more freely again with the rest of the world. Under full implementation of this deal, Iran will be treated just like any other non-nuclear weapons state party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Mr President,
We now need to look ahead and make sure that we all deliver on our commitments as we implement this agreement.
That won’t be easy. There will inevitably be difficulties, and unforeseen obstacles. But we must live up to our commitments, act in good faith, and try wherever possible to resolve together any problems in implementing this deal.
The role of the Security Council will be important. We will maintain oversight of implementation of this agreement and we need to take significant steps to support its implementation. In some areas this will involve novel working methods for the Council. We will have to be flexible and imaginative; and get this right.
This deal gives us the chance to change the relationship between Iran and the Security Council, and change for the better the dynamics in the region and beyond. We can now start the work of re-building a deficit of trust which has arisen over decades, we can start to normalise our relationships which hold great promise for the future. We will also encourage Iran to play a transparent and constructive role in regional affairs - including in the current crises in Yemen and Syria. Iran has an opportunity to make a positive decision about its responsibilities in the region.
The world is now a safer place in the knowledge that Iran cannot now build a nuclear bomb. I encourage all of us in this Council to show the same determination, courage and vision in supporting this project and pursuing our other top priorities as the negotiators on all sides have demonstrated in getting us the agreement we have endorsed here today.
Thank you Mr President.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Spain.

SPAIN:  Thank you very much, President.  Today, we are witnessing a triumph of diplomacy following a long-winded and complex process of negotiation, bringing together the EU plus three and Iran.  I would like to add my voice to all those who have congratulated all the partners to this negotiation process for their efforts and their commitment.  We congratulate Iran, the United States, Russia, China, and we also congratulate our partners in the European Union, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.   
They have shown that there is nothing impossible when the political will is in place to achieve something, and they have given us welcome stimulus to continue our work here in the Council as we are met with other challenges to international peace and security, some challenges which sometimes seem insurmountable, and now we can find inspiration in examples such as that which brings us together today.  
At the end of the first century after the birth of Jesus Christ, [inaudible] that we can use today.  We need to focus on dialogue rather than confrontation if we do so.  This will serve our common interest and will be for our benefit.
The benefits from this agreement will be undeniable.  Iran can return to normality and the world is now a safer place than it was before.  We are also faced with the efficient work of the Security Council.  On the 27th of September, 2006, through resolution 1737, the Security Council showed its willingness to put limits on Iran's development of nuclear capacity to support its nuclear program.  This determination has held its course and its fruit has been shown today.  
This approach was a decisive basis for achieving this agreement, and it makes it very clear to be united and determined, we can make the Security Council the most valuable guardian of peace around the world.  
This is a symbiotic relationship.  The more efficient this organization is, the stronger and more capable we are to meet future challenges.  We have opportunities and challenges remaining before us; opportunities because we now have a balanced agreement which strengthens nonproliferation system which gives us a perfect opportunity that we must all seize.  
Hand in hand with that goes the responsibility to take advantage of the synergies that this agreement offers and ensure that we bring this process to the optimal conclusion.  
We have to highlight the beneficial post-outcome of this agreement for the wider region because it brings an element of stability to such an unstable region.  So we need to harness this as a useful basis to tackle the specter of terrorism.  
But there are challenges as well as opportunities.  For this reason, we need to make sure that what has been agreed is fulfilled on a timely basis.  We will decide in the next few hours what will be the future of this agreement.  We in the Council must continue to demonstrate unity and determination to implement the provisions of this agreement in due course and to establish the followup and monitoring mechanisms that will substitute the current ones we have in place before the agreement was reached.  We have to find the most effective way of ensuring that the restrictions that will remain in place for an agreed amount of time are properly monitored.   
As chair of the 1737 sanctions committee, I feel deeply involved in this process, and I can guarantee that I will make every effort to continue exercising my full role throughout the transition phase, being as pragmatic as possible and assisting member states in the full implementation of the agreement in their respective relationships with the existing regime. 
The greatest source of happiness for me would be to see the 1737 committee disappear in the light of this United States-drafted resolution.  This would mean that on a daily basis we would have achieved the goal of this agreement and the hope of all of us in this room.
The 1737 can die like a phoenix, can arise from its ashes a future of peace and security.  As we forge this future, you can count on the full support and commitment of Spain.  Thank you very much.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Spain for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Jordan.  

JORDAN:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Mr. President, Jordan welcomes the agreement reached on the Iranian nuclear file, as well as the political and diplomatic efforts made by China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union to reach said agreement.
Jordan has always called for a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear file.  Therefore, Jordan supports any steps aimed at entrenching regional and international peace and security, as well as stability, particularly in the current conditions prevailing in the Middle East at the current time.
We hope that this agreement signed between the P5+1 and Iran will promote further confidence among the states of the region.  We also wish for the effects of this agreement to have a positive repercussion on all states of the region and on the security and stability of the peoples.  
We hope that it will be a positive constructive step to prevent a new arms race in the Middle East region and to rid the region of all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.  
In conclusion, we stress the importance of the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in following up and implementing the agreement and in providing the Security Council with regular reports on Iran's implementation in accordance with the JCPOA.  Thank you, Mr. President.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Jordan for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Chile.  

CHILE:  Thank you, Mr. President.  I would like to express our satisfaction about the adoption of this resolution.  Through this resolution, this council has endorsed the agreement reached by Iran and the group EU plus three on the Iranian nuclear program.  
We voted in favor of the resolution, and we welcome this agreement because it contributes to resolve the discrepancies regarding the scope and repercussions of the Iranian nuclear program, and reasserts the right of all states parties of the NPT treaty to enjoy the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
We hope that the robust elements of verification that are envisioned in the agreement will make it possible to strengthen trust between the parties while preserving the integrity of the multilateral regime of nonproliferation and strengthen the role of the IAEA and hence promoting through that organization a greater cooperation to preserve peace and stability in the Middle East.  
Mr. President, the agreement has reiterated the irreplaceable value of negotiation and diplomacy in the conduct of international relations.  Responsibility, flexibility and the creativity that all parties have demonstrated clearly speak to the determination and commitment to peace and cooperation, which are the guiding principles of our organization.
At this historic juncture, and from this seat in the Security Council and the governing board of the IAEA, we will ensure our full support to the effective and smooth implementation of this agreement.  We hope to contribute to promote trust, and ensuring better conditions to ensure regional and global security.  Thank you very much. 

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Chile for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Venezuela.  

VENEZUELA:  Thank you, President.  The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has cosponsored and voted in favor of this resolution, which ratifies the agreements reached between P5+1, the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran.  We are convinced that through this resolution this Security Council can give firm backing to this peace agreement, which -- or to this agreement which opens a new phase in the relationships between these different states.  
We welcome this agreement, and we congratulate all delegations involved in its negotiation, the negotiation, that is, of this very significant document.  It testifies to their commitment, to their courage and their political will, and that has been demonstrated throughout the 18 months of intense negotiations.
The fruit of these negotiations underscore the importance of political and diplomatic efforts when it comes to finding a peaceful solution and lasting solution, all of this in line with article two of the charter of the United Nations.  
It also proves once again that when political commitment is in place and agreement between parties, peace and dialogue are the only way forward, as opposed to bellicose approaches which only lead to a lack of trust and to conflict.
This agreement is a diplomatic triumph and stands opposed to and superior to war.  The implementation of the JCPOA will guarantee for the Islamic Republic of Iran the right to sovereign exercise of its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy to promote its technological and energy independence.  
We are equally convinced that this instrument will make a positive contribution to the birth of a new phase in a diplomatic relationship between Iran and the parties to this agreement based on mutual trust, respect and collective commitment to strengthen international peace and security.  
We are delighted to see that the agreements reached will allow us finally to achieve the definitive listing of the sanctions regime imposed by the Security Council, as well as the lifting of other corrosive measures that were unilaterally imposed and illegally applied in other areas related to Iran's nuclear program, which include measures restricting access on a commercial trade, economic, financial, technological and energy basis, which have negatively impacted upon the Iranian population and other states when it comes to their relationships and links of cooperation and friendship with its brother country, Iran.
We'd like to reiterate our full support for the implementation of this historic document to pave the way for the wellbeing and development and progress of the Iranian people.  We hope that the agreement reached will be the beginning of a political process of broad scope, which allow us to make further progress down the path of peaceful solution to other conflicts that we see in the Middle East, including a possible peaceful resolution of the Israel/Palestine question and the conflicts we see in Yemen, Iraq and Syria, as well as dealing with other extremist elements, which threaten the peace and stability of the region.
To conclude, we believe that the international community must prove -- make the same political will to achieve the establishment of a Middle East nuclear weapons-free zone in a conformity with the packet of decisions reached within the nuclear nonproliferation system, which is a requirement, a particularly key requirement of that for peace and stability to be delivered in this region.  Thank you very much, President.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Venezuela for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Malaysia.  

MALAYSIA:  Thank you.  Mr. President, thank you for giving me the floor to explain Malaysia's vote on resolution 2231 just adopted by Council on which we had cosponsored and voted in favor.  At the outset, Malaysia wishes to congratulate the delegations responsible for reaching this historic agreement, namely China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and, of course, the Islamic Republic of Iran. 
Mr. President, we place on record our appreciation for those delegations for their commitment and for remaining steadfast in upholding key principles of constructive engagement, dialogue and diplomacy in good faith throughout the difficult negotiations.  
The joint comprehensive plan of action endorsed by the Council by resolution 2231 is a positive step that augers well for international efforts aimed at enhancing nuclear security.  We look forward to the immediate and constructive implementation of the JCPOA by all concerned parties.
The agreement reached on 14 July is a landmark understanding, which in our view reaffirms the principle of peaceful uses of nuclear technology, while at the same time is seen to strike a balance with concerns on proliferation as provided under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty regime.
Malaysia remains convinced that the NPT regime continues to occupy a role of central importance in efforts to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons, as well as being an essential foundation for the pursuit of general and complete nuclear disarmament.  
Nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament are two sides of the same coin.  In this connection, we reiterate the call upon all nuclear weapon states to reinvigorate efforts to implement the obligations under the disarmament pillar of the NPT regime, including by taking steps to reduce the nuclear weapons stockpiles and to decrease operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems among others.
Mr. President, as a member of this Council and a member of its 1737 committee, Malaysia looks forward to working with other Council members in the implementation of the JCPOA with a view to work towards the eventual lifting of all UN sanctions against Iran.  Malaysia hopes that the successful implementation of the JCPOA could positively contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East region and beyond.  I thank you.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Malaysia for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Nigeria. 

NIGERIA:  Thank you, Mr. President.  We would like to begin by congratulating the parties, Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union for the historic agreement reached last week on the Iranian nuclear program.  
The agreement is a victory for diplomacy.  It proves that no matter how difficult a subject is, with commitment and determination negotiations can produce results.  
Nigeria has voted in favor of this resolution because we are convinced that it will aid the process of implementing the agreement.  The joint comprehensive plan of action clearly spells out the obligations of the parties.  We urge them to implement the plan transparently and in good faith.  
We seize this opportunity to once more reaffirm our support for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in accordance with article four of the nonproliferation treaty.  I thank you.  

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Nigeria for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Angola.  

ANGOLA:  Thank you, Mr. President.  The Angolan delegation is very honored to take part in this session of the Security Council and cast its vote on this historic resolution, which represents the triumph of multilateralism, negotiation and peaceful settlement of disputes.
The agreement we have just endorsed is a clear evidence that any political problem, the more complex and difficult it might be, can have negotiated solutions if the parties show political will and commitment to seek peaceful solutions and avoid the recourse to military means.
The present agreement has additional and special virtuousness [?] [00:51:37], since for many years diplomacy has been defeated in all Middle East disputes.
Mr. President, the United States, China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran deserve all our praise for being able to reach such outstanding achievement by concluding the joint comprehensive plan of action as a plan of contribution to the building of confidence and the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.  
We hope that implementation of the program of action takes place with the best possible results, that national parliaments of the signatory states give their endorsement to the treaty, that the International Atomic Energy Agency assumes its essential and independent role in verifying compliance with safeguard agreements, and that sanctions imposed on Iran be lifted in accordance with the provisions of the plan of action.  
It is our expectation, or if you prefer our wishful thinking, that the very difficult and short negotiating process permitted the highest possible degree of understanding of each other's views and expectation and permitted the building of mutual confidence, triggering a game changer; that is an innovative factor that might create new dynamics in the old region.  
And the current Middle East environment, the closing or the opening of this tracking the Iranian nuclear program after such long and complex negotiating process between the main world powers, the permanent members of Security Council and an influential regional power is, however, a limited outcome.  Now we want more.
The peoples of the region deserve more.  And the agreement so far reached should be followed by other outstanding initiatives addressing very serious regional issues.  It is our view that further efforts should be deployed by Security Council permanent members, and by taking advantage of the negotiating dynamics opened by the Iranian nuclear program, reach out to regional powers and countries of the Middle East to address and resolve proxy wars and serious crisis situations affecting the region, namely the fight against ISIL, the Syrian war, the conflict in Yemen, the Palestinian issue, and establishment of a political framework diluting the fracture between Sunni and Shiite majority countries in the Middle East.
Beyond the nonproliferation and arms control issues, the establishment of new dynamics in the old Middle Eastern region would be, in our view, the greatest accomplishment and most valuable legacy of the process.  We are giving a boost today to the adoption of this landmark resolution.   I thank you, Mr. President.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Angola for his statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Lithuania.  

LITHUANIA
Mr. President,
Lithuania welcomes the adoption of the draft resolution on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed by the E3/EU+3 and Iran on 14 July (JCPOA).
We strongly believe that this deal, based on Iran’s implementation of essential changes to its nuclear programme in return to phased lifting of sanctions, offers a real, durable and verifiable path to resolve a dispute spanning for over a decade. It also marks a victory for multilateralism and international diplomacy, as it proves that sustained pressure by the international community, including through UN sanctions and their full implementation by UN Member States, can create conditions that bring parties to the negotiating table and keep them engaged in good faith and in the spirit of compromise.
Lithuania applauds the perseverance and determination of all those involved in this extraordinary diplomatic endeavour. In particular we acknowledge the instrumental coordinating role played by both former and current EU High Representatives for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Since the core objective of this deal is to ensure international community’s trust in a peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, full implementation of comprehensive transparency and verification measures will be indispensable in ensuring its success. Iran’s agreement to implement the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement as well as further transparency measures foreseen in the Plan of Action will provide the International Atomic Energy Agency with powerful tools to implement continuous monitoring and will grant the Agency extensive access to Iran’s nuclear sites. We also welcome the Road-map agreed by the IAEA and Iran on 14 July that provides a specific timeframe to clarify past and present outstanding issues by the end of 2015. A continued cooperation by Iran will be key in allowing the Agency to establish an understanding of the whole picture concerning past and current nuclear activities, as well as to provide assurances that all nuclear material in Iran is used for exclusively peaceful purposes and in compliance with international non-proliferation regime.
In addition to the rigorous verification measures, Iran will remain under legally binding Charter-based obligations to comply with the arms embargo and refrain from ballistic missile related activities. The travel ban and assets freeze will also remain in place, while this Council will continue to be actively engaged in monitoring the implementation of the Plan of Action. Finally, all current sanctions will be reinstated in the event of a significant non-performance by Iran of its JCPOA commitments.
In conclusion, Mr. President, Lithuania is convinced that, if implemented fully and in good faith, the JCPOA that we have just unanimously endorsed will become a crucial element in building trust between Iran and the international community, open the door to a steady improvement of relations with Iran and positively contribute to regional and international peace and stability.
Thank you.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  I thank the representative of Lithuania for her statement.  I give the floor to the representative of Chad.

CHAD:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Chad would like to join those who spoke before me to salute the signature in Vienna of an agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the P5+1 countries and the European Union in an agreement regarding the joint comprehensive plan of action regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
Chad takes note of the joint statement of the parties involved, aiming at promoting transparence and creating an atmosphere that is conducive to the implementation of the aforementioned plan of action, and Chad encourages them to implement this fully, their commitments fully and in good faith.
It's important to recall that the plan of action of that the Security Council has just approved is the outcome of a long process.  The volume of the text of the agreement, which is over 100 pages, including 5 annexes, the complexity and the length of the negotiations clearly prove the -- that the openness of mind and perseverance of the parties overcome the doubts and the difficulties of the process.
Chad would like to congratulate all the leaders, the politicians, the diplomats and the experts from all the parties for the courage, the determination, the tactfulness and wisdom that they have demonstrated in reaching a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear program.
We share their satisfaction over having managed to reach an agreement that could not be reached for over two years.  It -- we support the future efforts in implementing the agreement reached on the 14th of July, and Chad is convinced of the virtues of dialogue and peace, which is why we voted in favor of resolution 2231 that we just adopted.
The adoption of this resolution unanimously and clearly symbolizes the triumph of diplomacy and of the noble principles enshrined in the UN charter that calls on peaceful resolution of differences without the use of threats or the use of force.  
In the framework of this approach, we welcome the leadership of the United States and the new approach of its leaders, which focuses on dialogue, peace and stability around the world.  On this point, we completely agree with what President Obama said when he received the Nobel Peace Price on 10 December 2009.  He said, and I quote, Sanctions and condemnations without discussions are -- will ultimately fail.  
Mr. President, Chad hopes that the IAEA will monitor respect of the agreement that has been signed and the -- including the roadmap for clarification of past and current issues that are outstanding.  With this in mind, Chad encourages the IAEA and Iran to cooperate fully to ensure the complete successful implementation of the JCPOA.  We also hope that the sanctions and measures implemented pursuant to the relevant provisions of the various resolutions adopted between 2006 and 2015 pertaining to Iran will be completely lifted once the Security Council receives the report of the IAEA that confirms the adoption by Iran -- the implementation of all the measures outlined in the JCPOA.
Mr. President, we would like to repeat that as all the other state's parties to the NPT treaty, Iran is entitled to develop, conduct research and produce nuclear energy for civilian peaceful purposes, and we hope that the agreement signed on the 14th of July will make it possible for Iran to join the community of nations and ensure its contribution in strengthening international cooperation.
In a world threatened by conflicts, no contribution -- every contribution should be welcomed in maintaining international peace and security. 
Mr. President, in conclusion, we'd like to repeat our encouragement and support to all the parties of the 14 July agreement and call on the implementation of the commitments undertaken, as well as to continue the dialogue until the end of the implementation of the joint comprehensive plan of action.  
Chad has signed and ratified the Pelindaba agreement, which makes Africa an area free of nuclear weapons.  Chad dreams of a world that has been rid of these weapons of mass destruction, where the use of nuclear science -- nuclear research is done only for peaceful purposes.  Hence, we would like to sign on to the slogan that is very relevant and very relevant, nuclear energy for all, nuclear weapons for no on.  Thank you very much.

COUNCIL CHAIRMAN:  
I thank the representative of Chad for his statement.  I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand.  

NEW ZEALAND 
Statement delivered by H.E. Mr Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs, 20 July 2015
Today the Permanent Members, Germany and Iran have presented us with an agreement which, if fully implemented, provides a comprehensive and long term solution to the Iran nuclear issue.
The truly historic agreement reached in Vienna represents a triumph of diplomacy and cooperation, over confrontation and mistrust.
New Zealand commends all parties for staying the course through what were complex and challenging negotiations.
It is now crucial to ensure the agreement is fully and swiftly implemented, and that small mis-steps and misunderstandings are not allowed to derail the process.
We urge all parties to approach this task with the same constructive intent that has led to this agreement and we encourage Iran to act swiftly to implement all transparency measures and allow the IAEA access to the relevant sites.
By the adoption of this resolution we give international legal force to the agreement reached in Vienna, and extend the obligations it contains across the broader UN membership.
New Zealand endorses the comments of High Representative Mogherini that this is a good deal for everyone, for the parties who signed up to it and for the rest of the international community.
There are, sadly, too few days on which we can say that constructive and patient diplomacy has succeeded in bridging the differences and overcoming the mistrust that contain the seeds of conflict.
Today we mark an opportunity to change the nature of the relationship between Iran and the international community.
And we remind ourselves that with the right approach and the commitment of key stakeholders, even seemingly intractable issues can be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
For this Council, as we confront the extraordinarily difficult challenges in relation to the Middle East Peace Process, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya, this is a message we should reflect upon today. 

IRAN
Gholamali Khoshroo,  Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran 
	In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
 	Resolution 2231 that the Council just adopted represents a significant development and marks a fundamental shift in the consideration of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program by the Council in the past 10 years. The JCPOA is the result of a series of extensive and collective efforts that sought, for close to two years, to give diplomacy a chance and end the resort to pressure, coercion and threat. This fundamentally different approach, which was a departure from the path travelled during the preceding years, helped all of us opt for the best possible way out, put an end to an unnecessary crisis and accomplish major achievements for all the parties involved and the whole international community.
 	The resolution that was adopted and the JCPOA that was endorsed today provide also for the termination of the Security Council resolutions that unjustifiably placed sanctions on Iran for its efforts to exercise its rights. They were grounded on nothing but baseless and pure speculation and hearsay. Nobody has ever presented any proof indicating that Iran’s program has been anything but peaceful. The IAEA that put Iran’s facilities under a record inspection has consistently reported that Iran has dutifully stood by every single commitment. For example, in terms of inspection frequency, only Japan has been subject to greater scrutiny than Iran, while Japan has much more extensive nuclear facilities. Last year, Iran even surpassed Japan in the number of inspections.
 	Therefore, the involvement of the Security Council was not caused by a suspicious nuclear weapon program, but driven by the stated objective in SCR 1696 to compel Iran to suspend its lawful enrichment program. That demand was not only unnecessary and uncalled for, but in fact ran counter to the unanimous conclusions of the 2000 and 2010 NPT Review Conferences which stipulate that the choices of member-states with regard to their fuel cycle activities must be respected. It also neglected the repeated demands of the majority of the international community represented in NAM. The sanctions imposed against Iran in SCR 1737 through 1929 were all punishments for the refusal of the Iranian people to accept that demand. In engaging with E3/EU+3, the Iranian people have had the foresight to move forward, without losing sight of the past. Therefore, while we hope that the Security Council will open a new chapter in its relations with Iran, we cannot accept or forget its previous treatment of Iran, starting from its inaction in the face of Saddam’s aggression and the use of chemical weapons to its more recent treatment of the Iranian peaceful nuclear program.
 	The solution that we arrived at is undoubtedly in the interest of strengthening the regime of nuclear non-proliferation in its entirety, as it includes and recognizes the right of Iran to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including uranium enrichment activities and R&D on its soil. Rights and obligations of States parties to the NPT, as under any other international regime, can only go hand in hand. Obligations would be honoured and these regimes, including the NPT, sustained only if rights could also be achievable. No threats of sanction or war could help sustain the NPT in the long run if big powers fail to honour all its three pillars, including total nuclear disarmament and the right of all to use nuclear energy, and non-parties are rewarded for their intransigence.
 	Looking to the future, my Government hopes that the JCPOA and resolution 2231 herald a new chapter in the relationship between Iran with the Council and the JCPOA participants. Iran is both in a position and willing to comply fully with its commitment under the JCPOA; because it is already committed to the Fatwa of its Supreme leader, who has declared all weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, to be Haram, which its defence doctrine also so requires. We hope that our partners as well as the Council do the same with regards to their commitments under the same documents. 
The desire expressed by the Council to build a new relationship with Iran, its encouraging all Member States to cooperate with Iran in the framework of the JCPOA in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy and related projects as well as its emphasis that the JCPOA is conducive to promoting and facilitating the development of normal economic and trade contacts and cooperation with Iran are positive signs and all encouraging.
 	Mr. President,
While this deal focused on the nuclear issue, Iran expects it to have a wider positive implication for our region and the whole international community, including the following:
 	First, the deal, which was sealed on the basis of mutual respect and understanding, is an important achievement for diplomacy over pressure and coercion that could produce nothing with regard to Iran in the past 37 years. It reinforces faith in diplomacy as the most rational way to resolve differences in our interconnected world, and shows that diplomacy can work and prevail over war and tension. It is, therefore, a clear message to those who still believe that they can achieve everything through force and coercion.
 	Second, the JCPOA has the potential to help trigger a major development in this region towards more cooperation and coordination aimed at addressing the real issues at hand. Thus, we earnestly hope that it helps turn the page in our region, enabling countries to close their ranks and fight resolutely against violent extremism, and to move towards more cooperation to address the grave threats that our region and the world face. While all countries in our region have a very high stake in defeating terrorism, violent extremism and sectarianism, the JCPOA participants are also facing similar challenges to their security from these phenomena. With the dust settled over the nuclear issue, we are now free to focus on real issues and benefit from the better environment conducive to a wider cooperation among all actors.
 	Third, in the wake of this major development in the region, we renew our call to our neighbors and friends in the Persian Gulf and in the wider region that Iran is ready to engage in good faith with all of them based on mutual respect, good neighborliness and brotherhood. We have many common challenges in our region to address, and many common opportunities to benefit from. This is the time to start working together against our most common and important challenges, which include above all violent extremism.
 	Fourth, the Israeli regime, following its general policy to stoke tension in the region, has done whatever in its power to sabotage and defeat any effort towards resolving the standoff over Iran’s nuclear energy program. In so doing, it proves once more that it doesn’t see peace in our region in its interest and considers peace as an existential threat to itself. The Iranophobia that they try to spread in the region and beyond is also to serve this nefarious purpose. Thus, we alert our friends and neighbors not to fall into their trap. In this context, it is also not surprising that the Israeli regime is the only obstacle in the way of establishing a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East that my country initiated more than forty years ago and has ever since promoted. We believe that nuclear warheads stockpiled by the Israeli regime constitute a grave threat to peace and security in our unstable region, and the Security Council should live up to its primary responsibility under the UN Charter and take necessary action to neutralize this threat.
 	Mr. President
To conclude, let me recall that Iran, as a nation with a rich culture and civilization, has withstood enormous millennial storms while being steadfast in preserving its independence and identity. These have not been acquired through oppressing others or reneging on commitments. The steadfastness that our delegation showed during the negotiations stemmed from the fact that we only accept commitments that we can abide by. As Iran is resolute in fulfilling its obligations, we expect that our counterparts remain also faithful to theirs. Only through honouring commitments, displaying good faith and adopting the right approach can diplomacy prevail over conflict and war in a world that is replete with violence, suffering and oppression. In this context, the JCPOA provides a solid foundation for further and more effective diplomatic interaction.
Before, I conclude, let me briefly thank all the Ambassadors who supported JCPOA and also those countries that helped the deal happen.   
[sic] (react to some baseless accusations leveled by some of previous speakers.  It is ironic that the distinguished Ambassador of the United States accused my Government of destabilizing the region and terrorism. The country that invaded two countries in our region and created favorable grounds for the growth of terrorism and extremism is not well placed to raise such an accusation against my country.  Feckless and reckless acts of the United States in our region for so many years are at the root of many challenges that we are now facing in our neighborhood.  Iran is a stable country in an unstable region.  As we want our stability to persist, we do promote cooperation in the region and help our neighbors to stabilize and cooperate towards this end. 
 	Before concluding, let me also inform you, Mr. President, that my delegation, upon the instruction from my government, is forwarding the statement of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the action taken today by the Security Council, to be circulated as a document of the Security Council.
Thank you Mr. President.

 

GERMANY
Mr President,
The Agreement reached in Vienna is an important, and possibly historic, step towards ending the decade-long conflict surrounding Iran s nuclear programme. As such, it has the potential to ease concerns regarding peace and security 
in the region – and beyond.
Allow me to examine its significance from three different angles.
Firstly, Germany firmly believes that the Agreement reduces the risk of a nuclear arms race. After long and demanding negotiations, the E3+3 have achieved a credible framework that will prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran has committed itself to comprehensive technical restrictions and an unprecedented transparency regime that will allow us to rule out any covert nuclear activities.
The Agreement is not merely built on trust or good will. We have established a unique and long-term set of confidence building measures. Everything we agreed on will be strictly monitored. A powerful snap-back mechanism for sanctions will serve as an additional incentive for Iran to abide by its obligations.
It will now be crucial to effectively implement the Agreement. The International Atomic Energy Agency will have an important role in this regard. In exchange for the nuclear restrictions, Iran will profit from early and comprehensive sanctions relief. The resolution which has been adopted today is a decisive step in the right direction.
Secondly, the Agreement also offers ample political opportunities for Iran. It reflects a fundamental choice by the Iranian government – it is an expression of intent to be a constructive part of the international community. It is up to Iran to deliver on this commitment. We express our hope that, in fulfilling the Agreement, Iran will seize this potential to bring about improvements in other fields as well – from civil liberties to human rights and the accommodation of regional security concerns.
Finally, we hope that the Agreement reached in Vienna will also have a positive effect on the relations between Iran, the EU and its Member States, and will improve Iran’s regional and international relations. We also hope that it will open the door to a more constructive Iranian foreign policy and ultimately contribute to a more secure and stable region.
Mr President,
The Agreement reached in Vienna has proven that complex and long-standing conflicts can be peacefully resolved if there is enough political will and courage. It is a victory for diplomacy and for the principles of the United Nations.
Thank you, Mr President.

EUROPEAN UNION
Mr. President,
EU High Representative Federica Mogherini has asked me to convey the following message to the UNSC:
The agreement reached in Vienna on 14 July 2015 between Iran and China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, with the support of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy, on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is historic in nature.
The agreement, once implemented, marks a conclusion to the long-running diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive, long lasting and peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue: one that will provide the necessary assurances on the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme on the one hand, and the lifting of sanctions on the other. As such it represents a significant achievement and a tribute to the merits of patient diplomacy, from all sides.
It is appropriate that a deal was struck in Vienna, where all this began 12 years ago when the IAEA started to look into possible Iranian undeclared nuclear activities. Since then there have been many months and years of at times difficult negotiations.
A key milestone in that process was the interim Geneva agreement in 2013, the smooth implementation of which provided necessary time and space for the complex negotiation process which followed. This resulted in the Lausanne agreement in April 2015 which set the parameters for the final deal.
The E3/EU+3 format was especially effective. We feel that the EU, in particular through the High Representative, played a crucial facilitation role. Throughout the whole process the EU has been the facilitator, moderator, and in the final stages, pen holder for the JCPOA text and its annexes. It is hard to imagine another actor who could have done this. A key element of success was maintaining the unity of the group and focus on a shared goal.  It is to the credit of all those who participated that we stayed committed to reaching a mutually beneficial deal. The fact that the self-imposed deadline was overrun several times bears witness of the shared view that a quality agreement was vastly superior to a quick one.
The agreement is good, durable and verifiable. Iran has agreed to make changes to its nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency will have the access it needs to determine when Iran has completed those actions, and to detect any future violation of the agreement. Iran will receive phased sanctions' lifting in return. The JCPOA annexes set out in detail what is required by all sides, providing clarity to facilitate the implementation of the agreement.
Together with the conclusion to be made by the International Atomic Energy Agency in that regard, the full implementation by Iran of its commitments under the JCPOA will contribute to building confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.
It will be necessary for all sides to work now towards implementing this JCPOA. The UNSCR adopted today is a key element in this process. As agreed in Vienna, the EU will endorse this UNSCR in Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council. The EU will also endorse the JCPOA and commits to abide by its terms and to follow the agreed implementation plan.
In effect, EU actions and commitments under the JCPOA related to the lifting of sanctions will be carried out in accordance with the timeline and modalities specified in the JCPOA; and that, as stipulated in the JCPOA, the termination of implementation of economic and financial sanctions would come into effect once the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that Iran has implemented all of its nuclear-related commitments.
For the time being, the provisions under the Joint Plan of Action agreed in Geneva in 2013 have been extended for a further six months, to cover the period until the IAEA has verified that Iran has carried out its commitments.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will continue her supporting and coordinating role during the entire implementation phase of the JCPOA. 
The High Representative hopes and expects that this positive development will open the door to a steady improvement in relations between the European Union, its Member States and Iran, as well as improved Iranian regional and internationa
l relations, and that it will constitute the basis of a more stable and secure region in the longer term. It is essential that this opportunity is seized by all.
Thank you, Mr. President.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT:  There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.  The meeting is adjourned.









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