Washington on Tuesday accused Tehran of “reckless disregard” for its UN obligations, and regretted that some Security Council members ignore or overlook Iran’s disrespect for the restrictions that the Council has put in place.
The US accusations came a few weeks after the Council received UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ report on the implementation of Resolution 2231, which in 2015 endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program.
Guterres had accused Tehran of violating the resolution.
On Tuesday, UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo spoke during an informal videoconference meeting to discuss the implementation of JCPOA.
She regretted that regional tensions have increased and that the last several years witnessed attacks on critical infrastructure, heated rhetoric and the heightened risk of miscalculation.
"Such actions deepen the differences related to the plan and render efforts to address other regional conflicts more difficult. We call on all concerned to avoid any actions that may result in further escalation of tensions,” DiCarlo noted.
DiCarlo said the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that Iran had installed a cascade of advanced IR-2M centrifuges at the Natanz plant and begun feeding uranium hexafluoride into them.
She also said Iran had enriched uranium up to 4.5 percent U-235 and its total enriched uranium stockpile was 2,442.9 kg, surpassing JCPOA-stipulated limits in both areas.
“The UN also takes note of the Dec. 4 report of the IAEA regarding Iran's intentions to install additional cascades of IR-2M centrifuge machines at Natanz,” she said.
Also during the videoconference, US Ambassador Richard Mills said the tenth report of the Secretary-General provides unmistakable indication of Iran’s continued destabilizing behavior.
However, he said the Security Council has a responsibility to address such behavior.
“A reluctance to act also sends a dangerous message to other rogue actors and despots around the world,” he said.
Mills added that “many Council members are eager to ignore or overlook Iran’s disregard for the restrictions that the Council has put in place, including those which the US has re-imposed through our legitimate snapback process.”
“Iran’s failure to abide by its Security Council obligations should be met with continued diplomatic and economic pressure and the further isolation of the Iranian regime,” the ambassador added.
EU High Representative at the UN Security Council Olof Skoog said Iran continues to decrease its nuclear related JCPOA commitments.
“We remain particularly concerned about Iran’s continued accumulation of low enriched uranium in excess of the JCPOA stockpile and enrichment level thresholds, its continued R&D with advanced centrifuges and their ongoing transfer underground, as well as the enrichment activities in Fordow,” he said, adding that these activities are inconsistent with the nuclear-related provisions of the JCPOA.
“We call on Iran to reverse these activities and return to full implementation of its commitments,” he said.
