Today, the Security Council will discuss the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2231, which underpins the Iran nuclear deal and sets out Iran’s nuclear commitments. This resolution is due to terminate in October 2025. The next 10 months will be pivotal both for stability in the region and finding a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear crisis.

The IAEA Director General reports that at this critical juncture Iran has started to further increase its rate of production of high enriched uranium, without any credible civilian justification. The IAEA Director-General has stated several times that Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons to enrich uranium up to 60%.

Iran’s stockpile of High Enriched Uranium has also reached unprecedented levels, again without any credible civilian justification. It gives Iran the capability to rapidly produce sufficient fissile material for multiple nuclear weapons.

Iran has ramped up its installation of advanced centrifuges, which is yet another damaging step in Iran’s efforts to undermine the nuclear deal that they claim to support. Meanwhile Iran threatens to leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and officials publicly question Iran’s ‘nuclear doctrine’.

Iran’s lack of cooperation with the IAEA over many years also undermines global non-proliferation. It prevents the Agency from carrying out vital work to assess the Iranian nuclear programme. Iran’s agreements with the IAEA and its legal obligations must be pursued in full, without further delay, as repeatedly requested by the Director General and the Board of Governors.

Iran must change course, de-escalate, and choose diplomacy.

The E3 have always sought a diplomatic solution to ensure Iran will never develop a nuclear weapon. We recognise the urgency of the situation, given the state of play and the nearing expiry of this resolution. We call on Iran to cease and reverse its nuclear escalation to pave the way towards a diplomatic solution.