Monthly Archives: March 2024

VERIFICATION AND MONITORING IN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN IN LIGHT OF UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2231 (2015)

AGENDA ITEM 5

Chairperson,

My delegation thanks the Director General and the Secretariat for the report before us and the detailed technical briefing provided to Members States on 1 March 2024.

South Africa hailed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as an additional key international non-proliferation instrument to maintain peace and security in the volatile region of the Middle East. It is now almost over 5 years that the United States unilaterally pulled out of the JCPOA and unilaterally imposed punishing and unfair sanctions on Iran. Similarly, the same time period has passed since the current US Administration promised to return to the JCPOA, but have regrettably not done so.

The deteriorating security situation in the Middle East region, has made the need for the restoration of the JCPOA even more pressing. We therefore urge all parties to the JCPOA to resist the temptation to focus on narrow political interests as well as geopolitical posturing and exert all efforts towards the restoration of the Plan of Action, as there is no viable alternative to secure regional and international peace and security.

Chairperson,

The DG’s report states that the Iranian nuclear programme reflects a worrisome trend of enrichment activities, which are inconsistent with its declared long – term research and development objectives, far beyond the scope of the JCPOA and that are that these are devoid of any justifiable peaceful use. While noting that there has been no increase in the number of operational centrifuges in the reporting period, the expansion of infrastructure for additional enrichment capability while the IAEA’s capacity to monitor Iran’s nuclear program has been significantly reduced, remains a course for deep concern.

We reiterate our call on all parties to the JCPOA to work towards restoring the agreement. In this regard, we call on Iran to return to its implementation of its JCPOA commitments. We also call on all JCPOA partners to take commensurate action by implementing their obligations to the JCPOA, including the lifting of unilateral sanctions inconsistent with relevant Security Council resolutions. We urge JCPOA Parties to restore confidence in the agreement and actively engage in dialogue towards its restoration, in whatever format they deem necessary, to adapt it to new realities.

With these few words I thank you Chairperson.

AGENDA ITEM 3 – NUCLEAR SECURITY REVIEW 2024

Chair,

South Africa associates itself with the statement delivered by Ambassador Gil on behalf of the G77 and China, and by Ambassador Johnston on behalf of the Africa Group.

South Africa remains fully committed to maintain a strong national nuclear security regime.

We reiterate the principles that nuclear security in a state is entirely the responsibility of that state and that the Agency has a central role in strengthening the nuclear security framework globally and in coordinating international cooperation in nuclear security activities.

At the same time, it is essential that efforts to strengthen the nuclear security framework should not hamper international cooperation in the transfer of nuclear energy, science and technology for peaceful purposes.

We note the potential benefits of taking into account the safety, security and safeguards considerations in the operation and design of NPP. At the same time, we need to emphasize the importance that the Agency’s work in this area upholds and proceeds in strict conformity with States’ legal commitments, the Statute and the General Conference resolutions.

Chair,

We welcome the growing adherence to the relevant international legal instruments and in this regard, we are pleased to announce that we deposited our instrument of adherence to the Amendment of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material during February 2024.

Chair,

Looking forward, we welcome the preparations for the ICONS 2024 under the able stewardship of the co-chairs. We believe it important to build incrementally with the now well-established nuclear security framework, as inter alia developed through the nuclear security resolutions and previous ministerial conferences.

My delegation also notes that the Nuclear Security Plan 2022-25 is nearing its completion and wish to express readiness to cooperate with the Secretariat and Member States in developing the next Plan through a Member States led process.

Chair, with these remarks my delegation takes note of the Nuclear Security Report 2024.