S/PV.7146 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear a briefing by Ambassador Gary Quinlan, Permanent Representative of Australia, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). I now give the floor to Ambassador Quinlan.

I have the honour to present the report of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), in accordance with paragraph 18 (h) of that resolution. The present report covers the period from 13 December 2013 to 19 March 2014, during which time the Committee held two informal meetings and one informal informal meeting, and conducted additional work using the no-objection procedure envisaged in paragraph 15 of the guidelines for the conduct of the Committee’s work. The Committee presented its annual report to the President of the Council on 27 December last year. The annual report provides a useful snapshot of the range of activities pursued by the Committee in accordance with its mandate over that year.I would particularly like to highlight the Committee’s communications with Member States and international organizations on matters of implementation and compliance. Providing guidance to Member States that request assistance with their implementation of the relevant provisions of the key resolutions is obviously a critical dimension of the Committee’s programme of work. I encourage all Member States to take us up on our offer. Another aspect of our work, highlighted in the 2013 annual report, is the reports from Member States themselves of action they have taken to enforce the sanctions measures. Some of the cases related to violations of national implementation measures investigated by local enforcement authorities; for others, the Member State concerned invited the Panel of Experts to investigate the incident, in particular those that appeared to be a breach by Iran of its obligations under the resolutions. I cannot overstate the importance to the Committee’s work of these incident reports and the willingness of Member States to invite the Panel of Experts to participate in the investigation of such incidents. The Committee twice reached out to Iran last year in relation to incidents investigated by the Panel of Experts. We wrote on 12 April 2013 in relation to the Panel’s unanimous conclusion that Iran’s launches of the Shahab-1 and Shahab-3 missiles during the Great Prophet VII exercises contravened paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010), and on 21 May 2013 in relation to the Panel’s conclusion that an intercepted arms shipment in Yemen was at the very least a probable violation by Iran of paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007). Iran has still not replied, and the Committee continues to call on Iran to do so. Although the Committee remains mindful of ongoing talks between the P5+1 and Iran following the joint plan of action agreed in Geneva on 24 November 2013, the work of both the Committee and the Panel of Experts remains unchanged for 2014. As I mentioned during my last report in December 2013 (see S/PV.7082), the Security Council measures imposed by resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1929 (2010) remain in effect, and Member States continue to have an obligation to implement them duly. The Committee adopted its programme of work for the period 1 January to 30 June 2014 on 24 January and has already been actively engaged with Member States. The Committee received multiple communications from several Member States, updating the Committee on the outcome of enforcement actions they had taken. One Member State reported on the steps it had taken to prevent multiple attempts in 2011 and 2012 by Iran to procure carbon fibre, suspected of being in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions. Another Member State informed the Committee of the confirmation of the judgement against a person found guilty of violating its laws implementing the Council’s sanctions on Iran. The Committee continued to consider its response to the report by the Panel of Experts, which had concluded that Iran’s attempted procurement of carbon fibre in December 2012  — those goods were intercepted and seized by a Member State  — contravened the resolutions. The Permanent Representative of a Member State, named in media reports as having contracted to procure arms from Iran, in contravention of paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007) , called on me in my capacity as Chair of the Committee to deny the reports. The Permanent Mission also sent a note verbale to the Committee in similar terms. The Panel of Experts is separately engaging with the Member State concerned on those reports. During the reporting period, the Committee responded to requests for guidance from Member States covering a range of issues, ranging from notification requirements and engagement with the originating State of seized items to the supply of target-shooting ammunition to Iran for sport shooting purposes, and updated lists of designated individuals, entities and goods to which the sanctions apply. The Committee is also working with an international organization on clarifying whether a particular proposal for technical assistance to Iran is compatible with the sanctions regime. The Committee has also engaged with a number of Member States over the past three months on the implementation of the targeted financial sanctions regime. The Committee provided additional identifying information of a listed individual from publicly available sources, including photographs, to assist a Member State in clarifying a possible match. The Committee similarly responded to another State’s request for assistance in determining whether particular entities were included in the Committee’s consolidated list. The Committee itself received assistance from a Member State, which transmitted to us a list of persons who had travelled through the country with names similar to those of listed individuals and provided additional identifying information for those possible matches that was missing from the Committee’s consolidated list, such as birth dates and passport numbers. That data will allow the Committee to determine whether any of the individuals were indeed listed individuals travelling in contravention of the travel ban and, in that case, to strengthen the effectiveness of both the ban and targeted financial sanctions by including the new identifying data in the consolidated list. As we are approaching the end of the current mandate of the Panel of Experts and the submission of its final report in May, I thought it would be timely to inform the Council of the outcome of the Committee’s deliberations on the Panel’s recommendations to the Committee from its report of May 2013. The Panel’s first recommendation was to designate an entity the Panel found to be in violation of paragraph 12 of resolution 1929 (2010) for procuring valves for use in the Arak heavy water reactor. The Committee stands ready to consider such a designation if and when a Member State puts the designation to the Committee, as required by the Committee’s guidelines. Secondly, the Panel recommended that the Committee encourage States to be alert to attempted procurement of any items destined for an end use prohibited by the resolutions. That is a reference to the fact that the obligation to prevent the supply to Iran of all items that could contribute to Iran’s prohibited nuclear and missile-related activities applies not only to items included in the lists named in the resolutions and updated by the Committee, but to any further items if the Member State determines that they could contribute to those prohibited activities. The Committee continues to discuss whether some form of written guidance for Member States on that obligation is necessary. In the meantime, we encourage any Member State with questions concerning the scope of the obligation to contact the Committee. The Panel’s third recommendation related to vessels under the control of the Irano Hind Shipping Company, which is a designated entity under sanctions. The company was dissolved by its joint venture partners in the first part of 2013, preventing the Committee from taking up the recommendation. Fourthly, the Panel recommended that the Committee consider providing guidance to States on how to implement aspects of the targeted financial sanctions that extend the application of the measures to agents and affiliates of designated persons and entities. Noting that the language identified in the recommendation is used in targeted financial sanctions under other Council resolutions, the Committee has been reluctant to consider the question unilaterally. However, we have begun a process of consultation with other relevant sanctions committees to consider the issue collectively. The Panel’s fifth recommendation was for the Committee to provide guidance on the modalities surrounding a State’s inspection of cargoes and possible seizing of goods suspected to be in contravention of the resolutions, including such matters as timing and content of reports to the Committee and inviting inspection by the Panel. The Committee is developing text to include in the Committee’s Fact Sheet and other relevant Committee documents. Finally, the Panel recommended that the Committee address discrepancies in the list where designated individuals no longer hold the positions identified in those designations. The Committee is taking that forward as part of the comprehensive review of the Committee’s list mentioned in part 1 of the Committee’s work programme. Just before concluding, I would like to turn now to conditional exceptions to the ban on supplying nuclear- related items to Iran, notably in relation to items for light water reactors, which the Council considers to be less proliferation-sensitive than heavy water reactors. The Committee must be notified of supplies to Iran of items falling under the exception and, during the reporting period, the Committee received one such notification by a Member State concerning the delivery of items for reactor unit 1 of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. With regard to the obligation of Member States to freeze assets on their territory that are owned or controlled by a person or entity listed by the Council or the Committee and to prevent any assets being made available to such persons or entities, the Committee received one notification from a Member State pursuant to paragraph 15 of resolution 1737 (2006) and paragraph 4 of resolution 1747 (2007), which allow for payments owed by a listed person or entity under a contract entered into prior to the listing to be made from that person or entity’s frozen funds, subject to notification to the Committee. I should note, in concluding, that a slightly more detailed version of this report will be available online. I might also note that we will continue to make efforts to try to “de-dry” these reports in the future, but there are certain legal obligations according to which the Committee is required to transmit certain information to the public in an ordinary meeting of the Security Council.

I thank Ambassador Quinlan for his briefing and for his efforts to “de-dry”, as he says, the report. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom): I thank the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), under the chairmanship of Ambassador Gary Quinlan, and the Panel of Experts for their continued to work in supporting implementation of the Security Council’s resolutions on Iran. The report may be dry, but the work that the Committee does is very important. On 24 November 2013, the E3+3 and Iran reached an important and encouraging milestone, when a first stage agreement was reached on the nuclear issue. Since then, a first round of talks on a comprehensive agreement was held in Vienna in February, where there was a willingness and a commitment from all sides to negotiate in good faith. Those talks continued in a positive atmosphere earlier this week. The interim agreement was a significant step forward and allows for time to negotiate a comprehensive solution. In January, the United States and the European Union delivered the sanctions relief, and we welcome the latest report by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, dated 20 February, which confirms that Iran has continued to implement the nuclear measures agreed under the joint plan of action. Meanwhile and importantly, the bulk of sanctions remain in place, including all United Nations sanctions. We should continue to robustly enforce those sanctions to ensure that economic pressure continues to act as a peaceful incentive for Iran to negotiate a comprehensive solution. Turning to the work of the Committee, we are concerned by breaches and possible breaches by Iran of its international obligations. Reports that a cargo ship, the Klos C, was found to have dozens of Iranian- supplied rockets on board in hidden containers, are deeply worrying, including the fact that the final destination appears to have been the Gaza Strip. That not the first time that we have seen reports of potential arms transfers to Gaza involving Iran. We would like to the Panel of Experts investigate the circumstances of the case, identify individuals and entities responsible, and make recommendations to the Committee, as appropriate. In January 2013, the report of the Panel of Experts clearly and unanimously concluded that Iran’s ballistic missile launched last year constituted a violation of resolution 1929 (2010). The Committee contacted Iran twice on the issue, but Iran has yet to respond. As that report recalls, Iran has also not replied to the Committee regarding a request for information on an intercepted arms shipment to Yemen. We call on Iran to engage with the Committee on such incidents. We are concerned that Iran continues to provide substantial military and financial support to Hizbollah and the Syrian regime, in contravention of the United Nations embargo on the export of weapons by Iran. We urge Member States to continue to enforce the sanctions regime and encourage Member States to act on and report all suspected violations of those sanctions. We look forward to the Panel of Experts’ final report in May. The United Kingdom is committed to finding a peaceful, negotiated solution with Iran on the nuclear issue. That will be a long-term process. We do not expect instant results, but we remain fully committed to finding a diplomatic solution. The Geneva agreement and ongoing negotiations are the best opportunity we have for real and sustainable progress. All sides must continue to make every effort to succeed.

I thank Ambassador Quinlan and his team for the quarterly activity report that has just been presented to us. For over 10 years now, the Iranian nuclear programme and the uncertainties about its exclusively peaceful purposes have been a matter of concern to the international community and a threat to peace and international security. For 10 years, the Council has in vain called on Iran to negotiate. Each time, we have been confronted with their refusal to engage in dialogue and a jump forward in their nuclear and missile programmes. That led the Council to establish a sanctions regime while continuing to call on Iran to negotiate. That so-called dual approach and the new attitude of the authorities in Tehran finally brought about a substantive discussion with Iran on the nuclear issue. The adoption of the joint action plan on 24 November 2013, the implementation of which began in January, was a step forward for peace and security. For the first time, the E3+3 got Iran to suspend the most sensitive activities of its nuclear programme for six months. The negotiations were thus given more time. The dialogue is just beginning. The joint action plan is only an interim agreement. The mandate that was given to the P5+1 by the Council is to find a long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear programme with a view to restoring confidence in its exclusively peaceful purpose. That is the direction and purpose of talks between Iran and the P5+1 that were just held in Vienna and will continue at the beginning of April. We approach them with an open mind, but also with vigilance. Progress has finally been made in the dialogue between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Director General has stated, in his report of 20 February and in the report published just today in Vienna, that Iran has met its commitments under the joint action plan with the P5+1. He also stated that Iran has implemented the confidence-building measures contained in the former agreement with the Agency on 11 November. That is a positive development, but not all the issues have been resolved — far from it. To achieve a long-term solution, it remains essential that Iran clarify all outstanding issues related to the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran knows that and will need to provide answers. Finally, I would recall that the joint action plan does not in any way do away with the sanctions regime against Iran imposed by the Security Council, which must be fully implemented while awaiting a comprehensive settlement of the crisis. It is therefore with concern that we read the reports that, on 5 March, the Israeli navy intercepted a large shipment of arms, probably of Iranian origin, destined for Gaza. The Panel will have to confirm the origin of those weapons, but if that is indeed the case, it would be a violation of the arms embargo imposed under resolution 1747 (2007), which might call into question Iran’s good faith in its stated willingness to address the concerns of the Security Council. We hope that the Committee’s Panel of Experts will be able to quickly engage in a dialogue with Israel and Iran in order to shed light on this matter. On the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), which Ambassador Quinlan has just briefed us on, I regret that the experts’ recommendations that are contained in last year’s final report (S/2013/331, annex) have not been fully implemented. They are nonetheless simple and operational recommendations aimed at making the sanctions system more effective. We will have to redouble our efforts so that, by our next meeting, progress can made in this area.

I would like to thank Ambassador Quinlan for his briefing and commend him for the enormous efforts he has made to push forward the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) . China has always attached great importance to the work of the Committee and stands ready to work with the Chair in implementing the various activities of the Committee in a balanced, orderly and prudent manner. It has been China’s consistent view that all parties are duty-bound to implement the Security Council’s resolutions on sanctions against Iran in an accurate, comprehensive and faithful manner. But sanctions are not an end in themselves. The work of both the Committee and the Council is to serve the goal of achieving diplomatic solutions. It is hoped that the Committee will follow the resolution’s mandate, apply the principles of objectivity, fairness and pragmatism and, on the basis of clear facts, solid evidence and extensive consultations, properly deal with the individual cases of suspected sanctions violations. China will act on the basis of the aforementioned principles and participate in the work of the Committee in a responsible manner. China recognizes the positive momentum demonstrated by the latest diplomatic efforts and welcomes the fact that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has maintained consultations with Iran on outstanding issues concerning Iran’s nuclear programme and reached agreement on the steps to be taken in the future. As the first stage agreements between the P5+1 and Iran have been successfully implemented, the negotiations on a comprehensive agreement have unfolded and the dialogue with Iran has entered a new stage. Following the recently concluded first round of dialogue, the P5+1 and Iran have conducted interactive and frank exchanges on questions of mutual concern and have reached consensus. In spite of remaining differences on some issues, all parties concerned have demonstrated the will to address the concerns of the other side. That will help them to continue to seek common ground and resolve their differences. With the deepeneing of negotiations, however, the dialogue process will face increasing challenges ahead. Therefore, China proposes the following: first, to continue the process of the P5+1 dialogue with Iran and bring that mechanism into full play through joint commitment and consultations on an equal footing in order to resolve the issue peacefully; secondly, to reach a comprehensive, fair and reasonable long-term solution that accommodates the concerns of all parties; thirdly, to try to follow the principle of step-by-step reciprocity and enhnace mutual trust by meeting each other half way, in order to create favourable conditions for achieving a breakgrhough; fourthly, to create a viable atmosphere for dialogue and negotiations by demonstrating good faith and maintaining confidence and patience; and, fifthly, while focusing on addressing the Iranian nuclear issue itself, we should adopt a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, engage in constructive multilateral and bilateral cooperation and find a comprehensive solution that addresses the issue by looking into both the root causes and the symptoms. China has always endeavoured to promote dialogue in an impartial and responsible manner. It will participate in the dialogue in a constructive manner and wor tirelessly for the comprehensive implementation of the resolution.

We thank Ambassador Gary Quinlan for his briefing on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), which he chairs. In our view, the very dry nature of his briefing is what makes it stand out. Russian diplomacy has, over many years, worked very actively to achieve fair agreements on the Iranian nuclear programme on the basis of the step-by-step reciprocity spelled out by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey V. Lavrov. We are satisfied that those efforts have yielded results and that on 24 November 2013, a breakthrough agreement ­— and that is not an exaggeration — was reached between the P5+1, the international mediators and Iran. That agreement recognized the unquestionable right of Iran to develop a peaceful nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment, subject to the understanding that outstanding issues around it will be resolved and that the programme itself will be placed under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. It is also important that the aforementioned agreement presupposes a weakening of the sanctions regime against Iran. It is gratifying that the suspension of unilateral sanctions, the legitimacy of which were never recognized, and which have had a long-standing negative impact on the socioeconomic position of the Iranian people, has already started. In that context, the ultimate goal is of course the lifting of all sanctions — those imposed both by the Security Council resolutions and unilaterally — once a basic agreement on the final settlement of the Iranian nuclear programme has been achieved. All sides must implement the Geneva plan of action in good faith and actively work to draft, by 20 July, a final package that would allow for an early and comprehensive settlement of issues surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme on the basis of compromises in all areas. In that regard, we welcome the second comprehensive round of negotiations between the P5+1 and the Islamic Republic of Iran, held in Vienna from 17 to 19 March. It was useful and affirmed the mutual readiness to continue contructive cooperation and comprehensive talks. There was an in-depth discussion of the sanctions issues, Iranian enrichment activities and international cooperation with Iran on peaceful nuclear energy, and on how to allay concerns over the heavy water reactor in Arak. The P5+1 and Iran agreed to continue comprehensive talks at the political and technical levels. The next round of expert consultations will be held at the beginning of April, following which another comprehensive round of negotiations will be held in Vienna from 7 to 9 April. Such a tight schedule gives the necessary positive momentum to the process for us to focus our work on those aspects where there are the greatest differences exist and to move towards resolving them. The increased cooperation between Iran and the IAEA is promising. That cooperation has reached a new stage and provides for Iran’s implementation of good-faith transparency measures that go beyond its commitments in the framework of the IAEA guarantees. We hope that the IAEA will close the Iranian dossier in the near future and cooperate with that country in the normal way. We are convinced that the current sensitive stage of the international community’s work must be tailored to promoting a positive negotiation process between the P5+1 and Iran. That is what guides our work in the 1737 Committee. In the current critical stage, it is particularly important that the Committee and its Panel of Experts continue to act in an unbiased, balanced and objective way in order to promote a political and diplomatic settlement with regard to the Iranian nuclear programme. We are convinced that progress on the Iranian issue will have a positive impact on the situation throughout the Middle East and help to overcome the dangerous trend of recent years, when there were attempts to resolve a number of crisis situations by using force. For our part, we will continue to spare no effort to achieve a final comprehensive solution to issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme. We hope that hasty actions by some partners of the P5+1 will not lead to a loss of coordination in that very important mechanism.

I thank Ambassador Quinlan for his briefing and for his able leadership of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). His work on the issue under consideration has particular value at this time. Today, I would like to touch on three reasons why. The first reason relates to the ongoing P5+1 talks, the second to troubling signs of sanctions violations, and the third to the important roles of the Committee and the Panel of Experts, which is set to begin work on its next report, the details of which will be essential. On the nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Security Council has a clear stake in the outcome. The Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions in response to Iran’s failure to adhere to its nuclear obligations. Any deal with Iran must squarely address the many Security Council resolutions on that matter. That is a key principle of the joint plan of action. It is critical that all Member States continue to fully implement the sanctions on Iran. The full implementation of the sanction regime will support the diplomacy and limit Iran’s illicit smuggling of arms, funds and technology. In that regard, we find the recent indications of serious violations of United Nations sanctions troubling. Earlier this month, Israel announced that it had stopped a massive shipment of rockets, mortars and ammunition that Iran was smuggling to Gaza militants. We call on the Committee, with the support of the Panel, to investigate all aspects of that incident. The Committee should also be prepared to impose real consequences, such as possible sanctions designations, on those responsible. At the same time, reports that Iran sought to transfer arms to Iraq, in violation of resolution 1737 (2006), are alarming. We note that the Iraqi authorities have committed publicly to fully respecting all relevant resolutions, which is welcome. In that connection, we encourage the Committee and the Panel, in cooperation with the Iraqi authorities, to investigate those reports and affirm full compliance with resolution 1737 (2006). That leads me to my last point on the important roles of the Committee and the Panel. As a rule, if and when violations such as those mentioned above occur, the Council’s Iran Sanctions Committee has the responsibility to tighten enforcement. We look to the Committee to step up efforts to help States implement the sanctions and to be ready to respond to all reports of sanctions non-compliance. In addition, it is essential the the Panel continue its full travel schedule and continue to raise awareness about the sanctions. In that context, as the Panel begins its work to draft its next annual report, we encourage it to present as much information as possible on sanctions compliance. We commend the Panel for its independent reporting and urge it to continue its cooperation with Member States and the Committee. The Committee needs to know the names of violators and their methods. We also encourage the Panel to ensure that its report has specific and implementable recommendations that can tangibly improve sanctions implementation. The Panel’s recent recommendations, which were specific in nature, enabled the Committee to engage in productive discussions and assess how best to move forward. The United States looks forward to continung its work with the Committee as we address the challenges and issues raised here today. Monitoring implementation, a quick response to violations and cooperation with the Panel are fundamental to the success of the sanctions and to supporting our negotiators as they seek a comprehensive solution.

We thank Ambassador Quinlan for presenting the quarterly report on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). We value the work of Ambassador Quinlan as Chair of that Committee. Given that this is our first opportunity to participate in a briefing by the Chairman of the 1737 Committee, I would like to say that my country welcomes the agreement between the P5+1 and Iran of 24 November 2013 and the cooperation agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). They provide a unique opportunity for Iran to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. Chile welcomes with satisfaction the most recent report of the Director General of the IAEA of 20 February on the implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. We particularly welcome the fact that the highly enriched uranium reserves have been significantly reduced pursuant to the 24 November agreement and that the IAEA recognizes that Iran is meeting its commitments to slow down its most sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions. Our country follows such reports with interest, but also with caution. Our country notes the issues raised by the various delegations during the Committee’s consultations in the recent quarter. In particular, we note the view that, in the context of the ongoing talks between the P5+1 and Iran, it is not advisable to take steps that could threaten the current momentum in the dialogue. Chile understands that we are not working in a political vacuum and that any kind of action that could be misunderstood by the parties should be avoided. However, until a final and satisfactory agreement is reached and endorsed by the Security Council, the measures imposed by the United Nations with regard to Iran’s nuclear programme will remain in effect. In that context, my country expresses its strong support for the 1737 Committee and its Panel of Experts, and hopes that its work will not be impeded and that it will able to fully fulfil its mandate in a timely and effective manner. That is particularly relevant given the recently reported incident in the Red Sea, where a ship carrying ballistic missiles, apparently of Iranian origin and destined for the Gaza Strip, was intercepted. We hope that the Panel of Experts will be able to begin to collect information on that case as soon as possible in order to gather objective data to enable us to decide whether or not it was a violation of the relevant resolutions. In conclusion, Chile expresses its vote of confidence that the spirit of collaboration and commitment observed on the part of the Government in Tehran in its dialogue with the P5+1 with regard to its nuclear programme will be reflected in other equally pressing matters in the Middle East, in which Iran plays an important role.

I would like to thank Ambassador Quinlan for his briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). We greatly appreciate his able leadership and the Panel of Experts for their robust activities. Let me begin by reiterating my Government’s support for the joint plan of action agreed between the P5+1 and Iran last November. We welcome the initiation of the implementation of the agreed measures since January. We are keenly watching the negotiations towards a comprehensive resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue. We hope the process can have a positive influence on other outstanding non-proliferation issues. We also underline the importance of the IAEA’s role in resolving all present and past issues, including the possible military dimensions of the Iranian nuclear programme. With regard to today’s briefing, we consider it important that the obligations set out in the Security Council resolutions remain in full force and be faithfully implemented by all Member States. As highlighted in the briefing, we think the various communications received from Member States and international organizations indicate the importance of the Committee’s work and its role in the sanctions regime. We look forward to the Panel’s new final report with high expectations, which will shed further light on the implementation of the Security Council resolutions. Finally, we note that, as mentioned in the briefing, there are important overdue pending issues on violation cases. There are also some recommendations from last year’s final report that have not yet been fully implemented. We encourage all Committee members to strengthen cooperation to find common ground and practical solutions to move those pending issues forward before the next report is submitted.

At the outset, I would like to thank Ambassador Quinlan for presenting the quarterly report on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) and for his dedicated and devoted leadership of the Committee. We have received the most recent report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), dated 20 February. In that regard, I would like to underscore that, according to the report, in the specified three-month period, Iran implemented the initial practical measures contained in the annex to the framework for cooperation with the IAEA. Moreover, we believe that it is auspicious that the Agency and Iran have agreed to the next seven steps to be implemented before 15 May and that the report also recognizes that Iran has fulfilled its obligations with regard to the measures of the joint action plan agreed with the P5+1. As we said in the Council in December (see S/PV.7082) and in other forums, we understand that the agreement between the P5+1 and Iran reaffirms the value of diplomatic measures and represents a significant step forward in the area of Iran’s nuclear programme. We therefore congratulate the Governments of the United States, Iran, France, China, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and Germany on the entry into force of the agreement on 20 January. We are also pleased that the P5+1 and Iran have requested the IAEA to carry out the nuclear energy- related monitoring and verification activities that are necessary in order to implement the joint action plan, and that the Board of Governors of the IAEA approved the Agency’s carrying out of those tasks at its session in January. In that regard, we believe it important for the Agency to have the necessary capacity to carry out its work effectively. While we welcome the progress achieved in recent months in the negotiations, we have taken careful note of the Director General’s conclusion that there is still much to be done to resolve pending issues. In that regard, we believe that it is essential that Iran cooperate actively with the Agency on all pending issues, particularly with regard to the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme — on which there has not yet been significant concrete progress, according to the report — and that it comply with its obligations, including Security Council resolutions. With regard to the Committee’s work, as Ambassador Quinlan indicated the sanctions imposed by the Security Council are still in effect and should be implemented by Member States. In that regard, I reiterate my delegation’s concern with regard to the quality of the lists of persons and entities subject to sanctions developed by some Committees. We stress the importance of entries being supported by sufficient data to allow Member States to properly identify them in applying sanctions. For that reason, we support the Chair’s efforts to improve the quality of the Committee’s list and, consequently, the sanctions’ effectiveness.

My delegation welcomes the efforts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) in assisting States and international organizations with issues related to the implementation of the resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran by providing guidance and answers to States’ technical questions on the timeliness and accuracy of the implementation of the resolutions. We encourage the Committee to continue conducting the necessary investigations of violations and to assess opportunities for ongoing engagement with the Iranian Government with a view to clarifying pending questions regarding violations cited in the report, especially with respect to the prohibited missiles launched during the Great Prophet VII military exercises, and to the arms shipment that was seized on 23 January 2013 aboard a vessel en route to Yemen. We appreciate the Committee’s efforts to consult with other sanctions committees in issuing guidance to States on the implementation of targeted financial sanctions. Finally, we welcome the conclusion of the Geneva agreement on the joint action plan between Iran and the P5+1. However, at the same time, we urge the Committee to carry on its mandated tasks to the fullest possible extent.

I, too, thank the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), the Permanent Representative of Australia, for his briefing. The report that was presented to the Council today, which he described as dry but not entirely devoid of interest, addresses the issues of implementation and compliance as they affect the mandate of the 1737 Committee. We note and welcome the willingness of Member States and international organizations to invite the Panel of Experts to assist in the investigation of cases related to violations of national implementation of sanctions measures. We commend the Committee’s continued provision of guidance, assistance and timely responses to Member States and international organizations in the verification of the compatibility of requests with the sanctions regime. Those actions are clearly demonstrated in the reported cases, including those received from Hungary, Sweden, Kuwait, Argentina, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. We also welcome the assistance provided to the Committee through the transmission of useful information by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the Committee’s letter of 12 April 2013 in relation to the Panel’s conclusion that it had launched Shahab-1 and Shahab-3 ballistic missiles in contravention of resolution 1929 (2010). The Islamic Republic of Iran should also respond to the Committee’s letter of 21 May 2013 in relation to the Panel’s conclusion concerning an arms shipment intercepted in Yemen, which represents a probable violation by Iran of resolution 1747 (2007). We note and welcome the cooperation the Committee has received from Member States that have updated the Committee on enforcement actions they have taken. We see merit in the Panel’s recommendation that the Committee encourage States to be alert to the procurement of items destined for an end use prohibited by relevant resolutions. We commend the Committee for launching a consultative process with other relevant sanctions committees to consider the implementation of targeted financial sanctions against agents and affiliates of designated persons. Finally, we would like to commend the Permanent Representative of Australia for his astute leadership of the 1737 Committee.

I would like to thank Ambassador Quinlan for his quarterly briefing and to commend the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006) and its Panel of Experts for their important and dedicated work. Lithuania remains concerned about the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme and its failure to comply with numerous resolutions of the Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) obliging Iran to suspend all reprocessing, heavy water and enrichment-related activities. In his latest report, the Director General of the IAEA has once again noted that the Agency was not in a position to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran was used for peaceful activities and that it remained concerned about the possible undisclosed military dimension of Iran’s nuclear programmes. At the same time, we welcome the 24 November 2013 plan of action agreed by the E3+3 and Iran as the first confidence-building step. We further call on Iran to engage constructively with the E3+3 in reaching a comprehensive agreement on all outstanding issues and welcome another round of talks that took place on 18 and 19 March in Vienna. We are encouraged by the fact that the six initial practical measures foreseen in the framework for cooperation between the IAEA and Iran have been implemented. We also welcome the agreement on the next seven practical measures. The overarching goal of the ongoing negotiations is to build mutual trust and confidence that Iran will not be able to build nuclear weapons, in return for which the economic and financial sanctions be lifted. Pending the comprehensive solution of the Iranian nuclear issue, all Security Council sanctions imposed on Iran remain in effect. Iran is required to cooperate fully with the international community on all outstanding issues before the measures imposed by the Security Council can be lifted. Member States, in their turn, are obliged to rigorously implement the sanctions regime. Their Government and private entities, as well as their nationals, must strictly adhere to restrictions related to engagement with their partners and Iran. The work of both the Committee and the Panel of Experts in verifying compliance with relevant Security Council measures should therefore remain unaffected. As the next annual report of the Committee’s Panel of Experts is due in May, we need to make sure that all relevant recommendations contained in the 2014 report are duly addressed. In that regard, we welcome discussions on the implementation assistance notice related to a catch-all clause, and hope for speedier progress following the adoption of a notice related to an equivalent provision of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006). Iran’s repeated violations of the conventional arms embargo are a matter of great concern. Despite the complete ban on the export of any arms from Iran and the ban on the supply of major conventional weapons to Iran, there have been reports of weapons transfers to Syria, to non-State actors in Gaza, and to a number of States. The Committee’s letter regarding the seizure by Yemeni authorities of arms and related material has gone unanswered by Iran since May 2013. Recent official reports on the interception of a vessel allegedly carrying weapons to Gaza are also worrying and need to be investigated by the Committee and its Panel of Experts without delay. Lithuania supports all efforts geared to finding a comprehensive negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue that would fully reassure the international community of the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme. It is the hope of my delegation that Iran’s recent engagement in E3+3 talks will also translate into its meaningful cooperation with the Committee.

Allow me to start by thanking Ambassador Gary Quinlan of Australia for his update of the 90-day report and for his able leadership of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). We encourage the Committee this year to continue working with Member States seeking guidance on the implementation of the sanctions regime. With the continued support of the Panel of Experts, Member States can be reassured of proper guidance towards implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. We would like to reiterate our belief in the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: non-proliferation, disarmament and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In our view, every country has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and in this context Rwanda appreciates the current positive momentum in the talks between the P5+1 and Iran. We take note of the initial steps taken and commitments undertaken by the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the implementation of the joint plan of action adopted in Geneva on 24 November 2013, and we hope that Tehran will continue fulfilling its obligations in that respect. We welcome the current spirit in ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that could permanently remove the threat that the Iranian nuclear programme poses to the countries of the region. In the meantime, the sanctions regime remains in place, and the 1737 Committee shall continue to implement relevant resolutions of the Security Council with the assistance of the Panel of Experts. However, we urge all stakeholders — in particular, members of the P5+1 — to avoid any decision that could undermine the current talks. As stated by the Committee Chair, last year Iran did not reply to two letters from the Committee regarding an incident investigated by the Panel of Experts — the letter dated 12 April 2013, on the launched of the Shahab-1 and Shahab-3 missiles during the Great Prophet VII exercises, in contravention of resolution 1929 (2010), and the letter 21 May, 2013, on an intercepted arms shipment in Yemen, in probably violation of resolution 1747 (2007). We hope that the Iranian Government will have a better approach towards the Committee in 2014, which could amplify the current positive momentum. Similarly, Rwanda is concerned at reported violations of the sanctions regime by Member States and other entities. It is important for all actors to implement the sanctions regime in good faith and to work towards negotiated solutions. In that regard, we are concerned over reports on the interception in the Red Sea by Israeli forces of a ship transporting ballistic missiles, reportedly of Iranian origin, to the Gaza Strip. We hope that the Panel of Experts will carry out a proper investigation in that regard. In conclusion, Rwanda looks forward to the final report of the Panel of Experts to be submitted in May. We hope that with the implementation of the Geneva joint plan of action, the progress in the current talks for the comprehensive agreement and the full collaboration with the 1737 Committee, the Islamic Republic of Iran and other international stakeholders could play an important in ensuring that all sanctions that continue to harm the Iranian people are permanently lifted.

I thank the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), Ambassador Gary Quinlan, for his quarterly report on the activities of the Committee. I welcome his emphasis on strengthening communications between the Committee and Member States and international organizations with regard to the implementation of the provisions of resolutions and the importance he attaches to contacts with Member States. Indeed, it was such communication that allowed Member States to receive reports on the measures taken by national structures or thanks to assistance from the Panel of Experts of the Committee, as contained in the Committee’s annual report. My country congratulates the Committee on its adoption of its biannual plan of work and takes note of the six recommendations of its Panel of Experts. In conclusion, I note that, in the light of the launching of a Shahab-3 missile by Iran, in violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 1929 (2010), according to the Panel of Experts, and the interception of an arms shipment in Yemen, which the Committee characterized as a probable violation by Iran of paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007), the Committee should continue to communicate with Iran seeking responses to its concerns. Likewise, the ongoing talks between the P5+1 and Iran, following the Geneva joint plan of action of 24 November 2013, must continue and produce positive results.

I shall now make a statement in my national capacity as the representative of Luxembourg. I, too, thank Ambassador Gary Quinlan for his briefing and for the commitment he and his team have shown in leading the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006). The quarterly report that he presented to the Council today shows that the Committee continues to perform important work in support of the resolutions of the Security Council. Luxembourg also expresses its appreciation to the Panel of Experts created by resolution 1929 (2010) for the valuable support it provides to the work of the 1737 Committee. The interim agreement adopted on 24 November last year in Geneva was an important step. For the first time in a decade, it was possible to reach a detailed agreement addressing the most concerning elements of the Iranian nuclear programme. We welcome once again the energy and determination of the High Representative of the European Union, Catherine Ashton, whose role in the negotiations between Iran and the E3+3 continues to be central. The implementation of the joint plan of action defined by the interim agreement began on 20 January. Negotiations aimed at a comprehensive long-term solution have also begun, addressing the most crucial questions, including uranium enrichment to 20 per cent, the development of advanced centrifuges, and the Arak heavy water reactor. Any comprehensive long- term solution must take the resolutions of the Security Council into due account — a principle that figures explicitly in the plan of action. Reaching a comprehensive solution is a difficult and laborious process. We expect Iran to act in good faith and to cooperate actively with the international community. We note with interest the latest report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), dated 20 February, on the implementation of safeguards agreements under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and of the provisions of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. For the first time, the report also notes the progress made in implementing the cooperation framework agreed between the Agency and Iran on 11 November last year and the interim agreement between the E3+3 and Iran. We welcome the timely implementation by Iran of the initial practical measures emanating from the cooperation framework, as well as the fact that the Agency has been able to begin its monitoring and verification activities with respect to the measures contained in the interim agreement. The development of the cooperation framework between Iran and the IAEA represents an important step forward towards proving the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. As noted by the IAEA Director General, the measures implemented by Iran and the other commitments it has made are positive developments, but much remains to be done to resolve all outstanding issues related to the possible military dimension of its nuclear programme. We therefore eagerly await further detail from the Agency on the implementation by Iran of the new seven practical steps that it must apply by 15 May, under the cooperation framework. Restoring the confidence of the international community will require Iran to respect its international obligations under the relevant resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the Security Council. Pending a comprehensive long-term solution, the Security Council’s resolutions impose sanctions on Iran, which continue to remain in force, as clearly indicated in the quarterly report of the 1737 Committee. In the last quarter, we learned with deep concern of reports on contracts for arms sales from Iran to Iraq that allegedly were concluded in 2013. We also learned of the interception in the Red Sea on 5 March of an Iranian ship, the Klos-C, transporting missiles of Syrian manufacture destined for Gaza. We recall that all imports, all exports and all transfers of any weapons from Iran are prohibited under the relevant Security Council resolutions. In that regard, we look forward with interest to additional clarification to be provided by the parties concerned as well as the Panel of Experts to the Committee. The confirmed or alleged violations by Iran of the sanctions regime remain a source of grave concern. We regret the fact that the Committee was unable to take decisive measures against reported violations, such as the interception of a shipment of carbon fibre to Iran; the Shahab-1 and Shahab-3 missile launches in 2012 during the Great Prophet VII exercises; and the interception in 2013 of a cargo of arms off the coast of Yemen. The Panel of Experts also plays a key role in helping States that are attempting to implement the sanctions. We commend the work of the Panel to investigate Iran’s attempts to circumvent the sanctions. The Committee must strive harder to make this information public and to disseminate best practices to detect and prevent violations. Luxembourg wishes every success to the negotiators who are trying to reach a comprehensive long-term solution within the allotted time period of six months, as defined in the joint plan of action agreed between Iran and the E3+3 countries. We understand that they will meet from 7 to 9 April in Vienna. Nevertheless, until a comprehensive solution is found, the international community must remain vigilant. All States must fulfil their obligations to effectively and fully implement the sanctions established by the Security Council. In the same spirit, the 1737 Committee and its Panel of Experts must continue their vital twofold work of helping States to better understand and better implement their sanctions work, and of establishing consequences imposed for violations of Security Council resolutions. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.