Mr. President,

Germany thanks Director General Grossi and his team for their continued professional and impartial work and reiterates its full support for the IAEA.

The Director General’s latest report from 1 September 2026 is clear: The IAEA continues to lack the information and access necessary to verify important aspects of Iran’s nuclear program and the status of its nuclear material.

On 9 September, the Board of Governors underlined that this proliferation concern needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency.

In accordance with its statutory obligations, the Board decided to report Iran’s non-compliance to the Security Council and the General Assembly.

This step was neither taken lightly nor hastily: It followed more than a year during which Iran was given repeated opportunities to return to compliance with its legally binding obligations.

Mr. President,

While - and we have recognized that - the Agency’s access to affected facilities has been impacted due to safety concerns, these circumstances do not provide legal grounds for Iran to suspend the implementation of its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, nor do they explain Iran’s failure to provide legally required information over the course of years.

Our main message today is therefore clear: Iran must fully comply with its legally binding safeguards obligations.

Mr. President,

There is a broader principle at stake here. And this is about the integrity and credibility of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.

The NPT remains the cornerstone of that regime, under which all non-nuclear weapon states such as Iran are required to accept IAEA safeguards to verify compliance with their non-proliferation obligations.

Iran itself has repeatedly emphasized this principle, reaffirmed both its rights and obligations under the NPT and its Safeguards Agreement, and has stressed the importance of the full and non-discriminatory implementation of the Treaty.

Germany recognizes the inalienable right of all States Parties, including Iran, to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with Article IV of the NPT, but both rights and obligations are integral parts of the Treaty and must be upheld.

Mr. President,

Germany, together with France and the United Kingdom, has invested considerable diplomatic effort over many years in finding a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

We have sought to preserve diplomatic channels and continue to believe that diplomacy offers the only sustainable path forward.

Full cooperation with the IAEA would help rebuild the confidence necessary for a meaningful solution.

Germany, together with its E3 partners, remains committed to working towards such a solution.

Thank you, Mr. President.