Rt Hon Winston Peters Minister of Foreign Affairs
12 January 2006
New Zealand reiterates strong concern about Iran's nuclear programme
Foreign Minister Winston Peters reiterated his strong concern today at the news that Iran had started to remove
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals on uranium enrichment equipment and material at Natanz and other
facilities and had said it intended to undertake research and development related to uranium enrichment.
"This move goes against IAEA Board resolutions urging Iran to re-establish its voluntary suspension of uranium
enrichment related activities. Re-establishment of Iran's voluntary suspension of all enrichment related and
reprocessing activities, which Iran agreed to in 2003, would assist in addressing the strong concerns of the
international community about Iran's nuclear programme", said Mr Peters.
"As noted in the IAEA Director-General's statement yesterday, although the Agency had been investigating Iran's nuclear
programme for three years, a number of important issues relevant to the scope and nature of Iran's programme remain
outstanding due to the less than full and prompt transparency on the part of Iran", said Mr Peters.
"New Zealand fully supports the work of the Director General and his Agency and calls on Iran to cooperate with the IAEA
in a full and transparent manner."
"New Zealand is a strong advocate of international disarmament and non-proliferation. Although we recognise Iran's
right, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with
Article II of the Treaty, there are strong concerns in the international community about aspects of Iran's nuclear
programme.
We strongly urge Iran to re-establish full suspension of its enrichment related activities without delay and hope this
will allow the resumption of negotiations to find a solution that meets the international community's concerns," said Mr
Peters.
ENDS