IRAN: UNSC MULLS SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION, IAEA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000834 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MNUC ETTC KNNP IR UNSC SUBJECT: IRAN: UNSC MULLS SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION, IAEA REPORT USUN NEW Y 00000834 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 9, the chair of the Iran Sanctions Committee briefed the UN Security Council on the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days, highlighting in particular a final round of letters and the publishing of an "Implementation Assistance Notice" to respond to reported sanctions violations. The UK and France both pointed to troubling findings in the IAEA Director General's latest report, in particular Iran's failure to end proliferation sensitive nuclear activities, and welcomed the Committee's work to respond to sanctions violations. Russia drew attention to positive elements in the IAEA report and said there should be no decisions on next steps until Iran's counter-offer to the recent proposal for dialogue can be studied thoroughly. China expressed hope that Iran steps up cooperation to resolve outstanding issues raised in the IAEA report. Ambassador Rice noted that the P-5 1 had still not received a constructive response to its offer of dialogue, then highlighted sect ions of the IAEA report that showed Iran was not in compliance with its international obligations. She welcomed the Committee's recent work and encouraged it to remain vigilant. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On September 9, Japanese Perm Rep Takasu, chair of the Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee ("1737 Committee"),briefed the Council in closed consultations on the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days (June 16 through September 9). He spoke of the Committee's letters to two Member States involved in a transfer of arms-related 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. END NOTE). Takasu noted that these letters had recalled these states' obligations under the UN Charter. He highlighted the Committee's approval and publication on its website of an "Implementation Assistance Notice" about the incident, which contained information that might be useful to Member State states in implementing their obligations under the relevant resolutions. Takasu also updated the Council on other routine business of the Committee and the number of implementation reports the Committee had received from Member States. ¶3. (SBU) UK Perm Rep Sawers welcomed the 1737 Committee's willingness to review "lessons learned" in the course of its work to improve implementation of the Iran sanctions resolutions, highlighting in particular the Committee's publication of an "Implementation Assistance Notice about the Monchegorsk incident as helpful. He said the most recent report by the IAEA Director General made clear that Iran continues to fail to meet its international obligations and expanded on the report's findings about outstanding questions regarding a military dimension to Iran's nuclear program. Sawers called the latest offer of dialogue with Iran "generous," but said that if Iran continues to isolate itself, then the international community must remain determined to maintain pressure. ¶4. (SBU) France Perm Rep Araud also pointed to the IAEA report, observing that no country had ever begun a civil nuclear program with the enrichment of uranium ("it's as if you bought the gasoline before you bought the car!"). He criticized Iran's refusal to grant the IAEA access to people and sites needed to verify the non-military dimensions of its nuclear program. Araud underscored the need for full implementation of sanctions and noted in this context the Committee's investigation into the Monchegorsk incident, as well as Iran's reported role in the violation of the North Korea sanctions regime. If Iran does not revaluate its behavior, Araud said, then the international community must draw conclusions and shoulder its responsibilities accordingly. ¶5. (SBU) Russian Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov asserted that the Committee's work must be focused on the international community's sole goal: resolving questions about Iran's nuclear program by exclusively non-military means. He said that this Council session was not the place to discuss the IAEA report, as discussions were already underway on this topic in Vienna. Noting references to the report by other Council members, Dolgov insisted that the report was "not unambiguous" and had positive elements that could not be ignored. He added that clear signals had been received that a formal response from Tehran to the offer of dialogue would be sent soon. When received, Dolgov said, Russia will study the offer closely. "We're not in favor of pre-deciding next steps, such as the strengthening of sanctions," he asserted," USUN NEW Y 00000834 002.2 OF 002 until we've had a chance to first study the proposal. ¶6. (SBU) Chinese Counselor La expressed hope that Iran could step up its cooperation with the IAEA and resolve the issues raised in the recent report. He said he wished the Committee to play a constructive role in this regard. ¶7. (SBU) Ambassador Rice noted that the P-5 1 had still not received a "constructive response" from Iran to its offer to engage in direct talks on the nuclear issue. She added that any response would be reviewed seriously. Rice also highlighted the most troubling findings of the IAEA report, notably Iran's ongoing refusal to suspend proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, and said that limited steps Iran had taken recently to respond to the international community's concerns "fell well short" of Iran's obligations. She said that Iran's refusal to comply with its obligations reinforced the critical work of the 1737 Committee, adding that the United States urges the Committee to remain vigilant. RICE