Chair, 

The United States extends its appreciation to the Director General for his February 26 report on verification and monitoring in Iran in light of UN Security Council resolution 2231.  We thank the Director General and the Secretariat for their continued dedication and professionalism in implementing the Agency’s critical responsibilities in Iran.    

Chair,  

The content of the DG’s report is extremely alarming.  It underscores the existential threat that Iran’s nuclear program poses to the international community.  Iran is the only country in the world producing highly enriched uranium that does not have nuclear weapons.  Rather than seek to build confidence, Iran continues to accelerate its program, and deploy advanced centrifuges, without any credible civilian justification.  Regrettably, Iran is doubling down on its nuclear escalations.  It appears Iran is attempting either to extort the international community or hedge closer toward nuclear weapons.  I will be plain and simple:  this is a very dangerous strategy for Iran.  We will not be extorted.        

As the Board will address later in the agenda, Iran’s continued stonewalling on longstanding safeguards concerns and refusal to implement its legal safeguards obligations are completely unacceptable.  Iran should be providing greater transparency, not less.  It should be implementing the Additional Protocol, not limiting inspections.  It should be ending its production of highly enriched uranium, not accelerating it.  And it should be accepting the designation of Agency inspectors, not undermining the Agency’s verification.   

Iran de-designated inspectors after failing, in violation of its safeguards obligations, to declare its modification of advanced centrifuges at Fordow.  Inspectors detected those modifications at Fordow, and uranium particles there enriched to more than 80 percent.  Iran’s response was to de-designate the inspectors.  Once again, Iran’s conduct is as blatant as it is condemnable.     

Chair, 

If Iran wants a deal, the path starts with ceasing its escalatory nuclear activities, fulfilling its safeguards obligations, building international confidence, and allowing the Agency to provide assurance that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.  I will underscore, continuing to move in the opposite direction will only move Iran further from its goals and the deal it is looking for.    

With these comments, the United States takes note of the DG’s report in document GOV/2025/8 and requests it be made public.  

I thank you, Chair.