I. Introduction

1. Almost two years after Implementation Day (16 January 2016), I continue to believe that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best way to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of the nuclear programme of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to realize the aspirations of the Iranian people. The Plan constitutes a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation and diplomacy in addressing issues that could have an impact on regional and international peace and security, and it is my hope that it will be preserved.

2. Since 16 January 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported nine times to the Security Council that the Islamic Republic of Iran is impleme nting its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In its most recent quarterly reports (S/2017/777 and S/2017/994), the Agency again reported that it continued to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material and that its evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for the Islamic Republic of Iran remained ongoing. The Agency also reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran continued to provisionally apply the Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement, pending its entry into force, and to apply the transparency measures contained in the Plan. In its latest report, the Agency further indicated that it had conducted complementary accesses under the Additional Protocol to all the sites and locations in the Islamic Republic of Iran that it needed to visit. 

3. Against this backdrop of diplomatic achievement, compliance and robust verification, the decision of 13 October by the President of the United States of America not to certify that the suspension of its national sanctions pursuant to the agreement is “appropriate and proportionate to the specific and verifiable measures taken by Iran with respect to terminating its illicit nuclear programme”, and the potential legislative actions that the Congress of the United States may take to reimpose those national sanctions, have regrettably created considerable uncertainty regarding the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. At present, these national executive actions do not affect the validity of the Plan or the respective commitments of the participants contained therein. I am reassured that the United States has expressed its commitment to stay in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for now.

4. I call upon all participants to remain steadfast in their commitment to the full implementation of the agreement and to work through differences and challenges in S/2017/1030 2/10 17-21508 a spirit of cooperation and compromise, good faith and reciprocity. It is important that the Plan continue to work for all its participants, including by delivering benefits to the Iranian people.

5. I encourage all Member States and regional and international organizations to act in accordance with and support the implementation of this historic agreement, which is in the interest of the international community at large. I welcome the commitment of the European Union to the continued full and effective implementation of all parts of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. I also welcome the affirmative statements by China, the Russian Federation and numerous other Member States in support of the Plan. I encourage the United States to maintain its commitments to the Plan and to consider the broader implications for the region and beyond before taking any further steps. Similarly, I encourage the Islamic Republic of Iran to carefully consider the concerns raised by other participants in the Plan.

6. The present report, the fourth on the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015), provides an assessment of the implementation of the resolution, including findings and recommendations, since the issuance of the third report of the Secretar y-General (S/2017/515), on 20 June 2017. Consistent with previous reports, the focus of the present report is on the provisions set forth in annex B to resolution 2231 (2015), which include restrictions applicable to nuclear-related transfers, ballistic missilerelated transfers and arms-related transfers to or from the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as asset freeze and travel ban provisions. 

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