IRAN: COUNCIL RESPONDS TO SANCTIONS BRIEFING

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000596 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MNUC ETTC KNNP IR UNSC SUBJECT: IRAN: COUNCIL RESPONDS TO SANCTIONS BRIEFING ¶1. SUMMARY: On June 15, the chair of the Iran Sanctions Committee updated the UN Security Council on the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days, highlighting in particular its response to the sanctions violation involving the vessel Monchegorsk. Ambassador DiCarlo noted concern over the events in the aftermath of the Iranian elections, highlighted a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iran's lack of full cooperation and referred to the Committee's ongoing work on the Monchegorsk. UK and France also highlighted the IAEA report and the Committee's focus on Monchegorsk. Russia and China expressed a commitment to resolving the Iran nuclear issue through dialogue. Mexico placed the IAEA report in the context of Mexico's commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. END SUMMARY. ¶2. On June 15, Japanese Perm Rep Takasu, chair of the Iran Sanctions Committee ("1737 Committee"),briefed the Security Council on the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days. He spoke of the Committee's request to two Member States to provide information regarding a transfer of material in violation of paragraph 5 of resolution 1747 (2007). (NOTE: This incident involved the M/V Monchegorsk, a Cypriot-flagged vessel found shipping arms-related materiel from Iran to Syria in violation of Iran sanctions resolutions. END NOTE). Takasu noted that the states did not provide any information relevant to the transfer. Takasu also referred to additional information recently received from the state that had first brought the Committee information on the incident; this new information, he said, was currently under review by the committee. (NOTE: This was a reference to a recent letter from Cyprus reporting that some of the cargo belonged the Defense Industries Organization, an entity designated under resolution 1737. END NOTE). ¶3. Ambassador DiCarlo said the United States shared the international community's concern over events in the aftermath of Iran's June 12 elections and highlighted the importance of respecting the rights of Iranian citizens to express themselves peacefully. She pointed to the recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General that contained "troubling findings" about Iran's continuing refusal to suspend its proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities. DiCarlo also emphasized the need to support the work of the Iran Sanctions Committee. She welcomed the Committee's efforts to obtain information regarding the M/V Monchegorsk and referred to recently-received information suggesting that some of the cargo belonged to Iran's Defense Industries Organization, a designated entity under resolution 1737. DiCarlo said that the United States remains committed to direct diplomacy with Iran to resolve issues of concern. ¶4. UK Charge Parham thanked Takasu for the Committee's work on the Monchegorsk, noting that the matter remains under Committee consideration and that he hopes the Committee can draw useful lessons from the matter. He also emphasized the IAEA report and continuing Iranian non-compliance, adding that the UK hopes Iran will move quickly to take forward the offers of engagement by the United States and the international community. French Perm Rep Ripert highlighted sections of the IAEA report that showed a lack of full cooperation. He also noted the Monchegorsk, in particular the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL),adding that the case is not finished and that the Committee needs to determine whether the cargo had any links to entities designated under other resolutions. Ripert expressed support for the dual-track approach. ¶5. Russian Perm Rep Churkin said he hoped the Committee will continue to be guided by the spirit and letter of the Iran sanctions resolutions. Moreover, he said, Russia was working to resume dialogue with Iran and hoped to assist the IAEA verify that Iran's nuclear program had no military aspects. ¶6. Chinese Political Coordinator La emphasized that the Iranian nuclear issue has implications for both the nuclear non-proliferation regime and stability in the Middle East. He stressed the need for a continued response to this problem through diplomatic means. Mexican Perm Rep Heller emphasized his country's commitment to a nuclear free world and said that proliferation could not exist if nuclear weapons did not exist. Heller also referred to the June 5 IAEA report, adding that the Iran issue meant a "possible delay in a world free of nuclear weapons." MINIMIZE CONSIDERED DICARLO