"Iran is failing to cooperate over its nuclear programme"
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt raised concerns at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference about Iran, Syria and North Korea's nuclear programmes.
Speaking today, he said:
鈥淭he Director General鈥檚 latest report reminds us that that Iran continues to defy UN Resolutions and is failing to cooperate fully with the IAEA over its nuclear programme. The latest report once again flags the possible military dimensions to the Iranian programme and the increasing concerns of the Agency.鈥�
鈥淔ull cooperation by member states with the Agency is essential to supporting the important work that the IAEA undertakes in the area of safeguards. This is why following the Board of Governors resolution on Syria鈥檚 non compliance with the IAEA over the building of an undeclared nuclear facility; we continue to urge Syria to give the IAEA full disclosure and cooperation that it has promised.鈥�
鈥淭he UK continues to be deeply concerned by the DPRK鈥檚 continued lack of co-operation with the IAEA, particularly in light of last year鈥檚 revelation of the Yongbyon uranium enrichment facility, built without the Agency鈥檚 knowledge. We call again on the DPRK to resume co-operation with the Agency, comply immediately with all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and refrain from any further provocative actions.鈥�
Read the full text of his
Alistair Burts speaks about Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme
The IAEA has been at the centre of international cooperation on nuclear issues since the 1950s. The scope of the work dealt with by the Agency鈥檚 General Conference this week demonstrates how much the Agency鈥檚 activities have grown since then. One of its central activities is implementing the safeguards system that is a crucial feature of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Iranian case demonstrates its continuing relevance and importance.
What makes Iran such a challenging issue is not simply Iran鈥檚 failure over many years to declare a staggering amount of the nuclear material and activities that it ought to have declared under its agreement with the Agency. To an extent exposing the extent of the Iran鈥檚 secret programme was the more straightforward aspect of the Agency鈥檚 role. The bigger challenge for the Agency now lies in verifying the nature of the Iranian programme which Iran, despite recent developments, continues to claim is entirely peaceful. There are three main challenges to achieving this.
- The first is tackling the crucial issue of 鈥減ossible military dimensions to Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme鈥�. In his most recent report to the IAEA Board last week, the Director General highlighted the Agency鈥檚 鈥渋ncreasing concern鈥� about the existence of work related to the development of a nuclear armed missile. Iran must urgently and truthfully address this fundamental question before confidence in the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme can be restored.
- Second, is the Agency鈥檚 ongoing efforts to safeguard Iran鈥檚 nuclear activities. Successive reports by the Director General have shown that Iran has failed to co-operate and obstructed the IAEA. The Agency has complained that the repeated objection by Iran to the designation of inspectors with experience of Iran鈥檚 nuclear fuel cycle and facilities hampers the inspection process. And there are many activities the IAEA describes as 鈥渃ontrary to the resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security Council鈥�. But most importantly, given Iran鈥檚 track record is one of deliberate concealment of its activities, the Agency needs to be able to provide the international community with credible assurances that Iran does not still have undeclared nuclear material and activities. The Additional Protocol signed by Iran on 18 December 2003 provides the means to do this. But unfortunately Iran has not been implementing this since 6 February 2006. This is extremely concerning, and critical if Iran wants to reassure the international community about its nuclear intentions.
- Finally, the IAEA plays a key role in charting the continuing development of the programme. The Director Genera鈥檚 recent report noted that Iran has recently begun installing centrifuges underneath a mountain near Qom, as part of Iran鈥檚 plans to expand production of 20% enriched uranium. This is the most significant and alarming change in the Iranian programme for some time - enrichment to 20% is necessary to produce weapons-grade material and Iran has no plausible civilian use for this.