UNITED NATIONS — Western powers in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal accused Tehran on Monday of developing and testing ballistic missiles, transferring hundreds of drones to Russia and enriching uranium to an unprecedented level of 60% for a country without a nuclear weapons program. a UN resolution endorsing the deal.
Iran and its ally Russia have rejected accusations from Britain, France and Germany, strongly backed by the United States, which in 2018 withdrew from the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The six-party agreement was intended to ensure that Iran could not develop nuclear weapons. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to levels necessary for the peaceful use of nuclear energy in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
The sharp discussions took place during the Security Council's biannual meeting on the implementation of its resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear deal.
Both Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Iravani and Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia blamed the United States' withdrawal from the JCPOA, Western sanctions and an “anti-Iran” attitude for the current standoff.
Iranani said Iran is allowed to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and Nebenzia dismissed alleged evidence that it used Iranian drones in Ukraine.
Then-President Donald Trump said when he unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 that he would negotiate a stronger deal, but that did not happen. Iran began violating the terms a year later and its 60% enrichment is close to weapons levels, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
Formal talks to try to find a roadmap to restart the JCPOA failed in August 2022.
At Monday's council meeting, UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo stressed that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres still views the JCPOA as “the best available option to ensure that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful.”
She urged Iran to change course, joining the three European countries that issued a joint statement quoting the IAEA as saying Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium now amount to 22 times the JCPOA limit.
“There is no credible civilian justification for the state of affairs regarding Iran's nuclear programme,” Britain, France and Germany said. “The current trajectory only brings Iran closer to weapons-related capabilities.”
European and American Minister Advisor John Kelley emphasized that they would use all means to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Looking ahead, Kelley told the council: “Iran must take action to build international trust and de-escalate tensions and not continue nuclear provocations that pose serious proliferation risks.”
“The United States is fully committed to resolving the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program through diplomacy,” he said. “Unfortunately, Iran's actions suggest that this goal is not its priority.”
Iran's Iravani said Tehran has “worked persistently towards the revival of the JCPOA” and is “ready to resume the full implementation of its commitment to the JCPOA once it is revived.” That requires full compliance by the US and all other parties with their obligations, as well as “sincere political attention,” he said.
And Nebenzia said: “The Russian Federation firmly believes that there is no alternative to the JCPOA.”