News

Mr. President, Lithuania welcomes the adoption of the draft resolution on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed by the E3/EU+3 and Iran on 14 July (JCPOA). We strongly believe that this deal, based on Iran’s implementation of essential changes to its nuclear programme in return to phased lifting of sanctions, offers a real, durable and verifiable path to resolve a dispute spanning for over a decade. It also marks a victory for multilateralism and international diplomacy, as it proves that sustained pressure by the international community, including through UN sanctions and their full implementation by UN Member States, can create conditions that bring parties to the negotiating table and keep them engaged in good faith and in the spirit of compromise.

Lithuania applauds the perseverance and determination of all those involved in this extraordinary diplomatic endeavour. In particular we acknowledge the instrumental coordinating role played by both former and current EU High Representatives for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Since the core objective of this deal is to ensure international community’s trust in a peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, full implementation of comprehensive transparency and verification measures will be indispensable in ensuring its success. Iran’s agreement to implement the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement as well as further transparency measures foreseen in the Plan of Action will provide the International Atomic Energy Agency with powerful tools to implement continuous monitoring and will grant the Agency extensive access to Iran’s nuclear sites. We also welcome the Road-map agreed by the IAEA and Iran on 14 July that provides a specific timeframe to clarify past and present outstanding issues by the end of 2015. A continued cooperation by Iran will be key in allowing the Agency to establish an understanding of the whole picture concerning past and current nuclear activities, as well as to provide assurances that all nuclear material in Iran is used for exclusively peaceful purposes and in compliance with international non-proliferation regime.

In addition to the rigorous verification measures, Iran will remain under legally binding Charter-based obligations to comply with the arms embargo and refrain from ballistic missile related activities. The travel ban and assets freeze will also remain in place, while this Council will continue to be actively engaged in monitoring the implementation of the Plan of Action. Finally, all current sanctions will be reinstated in the event of a significant non-performance by Iran of its JCPOA commitments.

In conclusion, Mr. President, Lithuania is convinced that, if implemented fully and in good faith, the JCPOA that we have just unanimously endorsed will become a crucial element in building trust between Iran and the international community, open the door to a steady improvement of relations with Iran and positively contribute to regional and international peace and stability.

Thank you.