Swedish statement at the UN Security Council Briefing on Non-Proliferation

Thank you very much, Mr. President,

And thank you to Secretary of State Pompeo for your presence and for your engagement. I also want to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Serge Christiane for your briefings today and of course our strong appreciation to our Dutch colleague and his team for the very diligent work you have done on facilitating the implementation of resolution 2231.

Mr. President,

This is the fifth briefing on the implementation of resolution 2231 during our tenure on the Security Council and most probably the last, so let me reiterate our principled position on this agenda item. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is a prime example of finding successful multilateral solutions to collectively shared challenges. The Agreement has effectively ensured the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program and made our world a safer place in that respect. As such, it should also be seen in the broader non-proliferation context. The undermining of the Plan of Action risks undermining our efforts elsewhere.

Together with our EU partners, Sweden continues to strongly support the full implementation of the Agreement. We welcome Iran’s continued engagement and implementation of its nuclear related obligations under the Plan of Action, as reported by the IAEA. I would equally like to welcome the participation of Iran in this briefing, since Iran is a party to the JCPOA and directly affected by resolution 2231. Iran’s early ratification of the Additional Protocol would be an important confidence-building measure.

It is very important to respect both sides of the deal. The procurement channel must be kept functioning and the Joint Commission should continue to discuss any outstanding issues under the Agreement. It is also important that the Iranian people continue to experience the economic benefits of the deal.

The US withdrawal and the re-imposition of sanctions is therefore regrettable. We fully support the efforts within the European Union to protect and preserve the JCPOA in all its aspects.

Mr. President,

Like many others, we continue to express our serious concern over ballistic missile activity that is inconsistent with annex B of Security Council resolution 2231, including the most recent test on the 1st of December. This matter, however, should be addressed separately and not at the expense of the JCPOA. Iran must heed the Council’s call and refrain from any actions which put its commitment to resolution 2231 in doubt. All parties must contribute to further de-escalation in the region.

Regarding other alleged transfers and possible arms shipments, we thank the Secretariat for its thorough analysis and reporting, so far, in relation to the information at hand. We appreciate the updates today by Under-Secretary DiCarlo and we look forward to further analyses as appropriate in due course.

Mr. President,

As our term on this Council comes to an end, we note that divisions in the region remain deep to the detriment of international peace and security both in the region and beyond. We believe that the Council should intensify efforts to bridge those divides. All actors in the region must now come together to de-escalate tensions and make common efforts towards political solutions to ongoing conflicts and crises in the region. It is also crucial to continue the important political dialogue with Iran on its role in the region, as well as on the human rights situation in the country. We will continue this dialogue through our established channels, including through the European Union. 

In conclusion, Mr. President, at a time when multilateralism is often described as under pressure, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action remains a model of successful multilateral negotiation, and reaffirms the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes under the Charter for our common good as the norm. It is important to hold on to it.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.