Weapon Program:
- Nuclear
The Board adopted unanimously this morning a resolution that calls in very explicit terms on Iran to accelerate its cooperation with the Agency in order for the Agency to bring questions relevant to Iran's nuclear program to a close as early as possible.
The Board made it very clear that they expect these issues to come to a close within the next few months. For the integrity of the process, the nature of Iran's nuclear program needs to be brought to a close and the Board fully subscribes to that.
The Board also expressed full confidence in the integrity, the impartiality of the inspection process, including an expression of confidence by the Iranian delegation, something which I appreciate. I think the Board noted that we have made steady progress. Make no mistake we have been making very good process in understanding the nature of Iran's nuclear programme. But at the same time as I have indicated and the Board confirms that we still have an important, central question, and that is has Iran declared fully to us its enrichment program? That is really the issue that is still before us. The issue that I would like to see accelerated and active corporation on the part of Iran.
There are two aspects to this issue. One is the question of contamination and particularly the issue of 36% enrichment. We are still puzzled about it and we need to get more information from Iran. The other issue is the question of the P2 components and how much was that R&D program, or was it really a coperational program in light of Iran's instance of procuring certain components. These two issues are essential to our work and I would hope in the next few months before I report back to the September Board that I can report back positively on these two issues. We have received after the issuance of our report here additional information on the P2s. I hope as I mentioned to the Board that this information is comprehensive and will enable us to report positively on the P2 program and that we have understood or have seen all aspects of that. There are a lot of odds and ends. What we need to provide the international community is assurances that we have seen all aspects of Iran's program, that we now know Iran's program is for peaceful purpose. Some of the issues, like of a research and development nature, we would like to know whether they are simply experiments or are the tip of the iceberg. For that as we need from Iran comprehensive, written, prompt answers to our inspectors. Some of the issues as I reported yesterday resulted in some misunderstanding, because we do not get written answers and I emphasised to our Iranian colleagues the need that we get written, comprehensive and prompt response.
The resolution as I said is a forward looking resolution. The resolution is trying to see how the Board and international community can work with Iran, work with the Agency, work with the me to try to bring this issue to a close as early as possible. I should end by saying the ball remains in Iran's court I would like it to take that resolution as an indication of the interest of the international community to clear their program and clear their name and the nature of their activities and then move on, as the Board says, to enjoy fully the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.