There have been six rounds of negotiations to date involving Iran and the P5+1 countries over a potential return by the United States and Iran to the Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA, a goal vigorously supported by the Biden-Harris administration.
Speaking to the UN Security Council concerning the implementation of the 2015 resolution that enshrines the JCPOA (UNSCR 2231), U.S. Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs Jeffrey DeLaurentis welcomed UN Secretary-General Guterres’ support for the ongoing nuclear discussions in Vienna. He also praised the Secretary-General’s recent report for including information concerning Iran’s activities that are inconsistent with Resolution 2231.
“This report underscores what has been apparent for some time,” he said. “Iran continues to disregard the provision of 2231 that calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.”
Senior Advisor DeLaurentis also noted that the reports by the UN Secretary-General and by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi showed that Iran is taking escalatory steps which exceed the JCPOA’s nuclear limits, including the enrichment of uranium up to 60 percent U-235, and the production of uranium metal. Ambassador DeLaurentis urged Iran “to refrain from taking further escalatory steps and to return to full implementation of all its JCPOA commitments, including those related to IAEA verification, monitoring, and implementation of the additional protocol.”
Iran’s support for terrorism is also a concern, as it threatens U.S. forces, diplomatic personnel, and U.S. allies, said Ambassador DeLaurentis. “We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region, and to promote implementation of other Security Council resolutions to address Iranian conventional weapons proliferation.”
Regarding Iran’s nuclear activity, Ambassador DeLaurentis emphasized what President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have made clear: “The United States is committed to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and we believe diplomacy, in coordination with our allies and regional partners, is the best path to achieve that goal,” he declared. “The last few rounds of discussions in Vienna have helped to crystallize the choices that need to be made by Iran and by the United States in order to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA.”
