Non-proliferation

Mr President,

We thank Ambassador Marchesi for his briefing in his capacity as chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737. New Zealand fully supports the mandate of the Committee.

New Zealand joins others in acknowledging the efforts of the P5+1 and Iran in their current negotiations on a comprehensive agreement. New Zealand fully supports this process and hopes that negotiations will be concluded by the agreed deadline. We appreciate that the negotiations are sensitive for the key parties involved, but trust that these sensitivities will not stand in the way of a comprehensive outcome.

New Zealand was encouraged by the briefing of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini to this Council several weeks ago. At that time she noted that the parties had “never been so close to what could be a turning point in the history of Iran’s relation with the West, and with the region”. We trust this hope will be realised.

For now, however, it is important to remember that the existing sanctions remain in place, and that, as the 90-day report notes, States have an obligation to duly implement them.

Mr President,

New Zealand is aware of the challenges involved in implementing complex sanctions regimes such as the one designed in Security Council Resolution 1737, particularly for small states. At the conclusion of the P5+1 talks with Iran, there will be a need for clear communication with Member States on the implications for the existing sanctions regime.

We look forward to working constructively as a Member of the Committee to provide guidance to Member States at the appropriate time.

Finally, we use today’s briefing to encourage all parties involved in the talks to sustain the commitment and the political will required for a positive outcome.