Statement on the occasion of the IAEA Board of Governors
on behalf of the Republic of Estonia
Vienna, 7-11 September 2026
Agenda item: Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Chair,
Estonia fully aligns itself with the statement of the European Union, delivered by the distinguished representative of Ireland. I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity.
We thank the Director General and his team for the report on the implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Estonia reiterates its support to the NPT and underlines the essential role of the Agency’s system of safeguards in strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
Chair,
Estonia is gravely concerned by Iran´s continued refusal to engage with the IAEA in seeking to address the unresolved safeguards issues.
The report notes that the Agency cannot verify: whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities, including research and development; whether Iran has suspended all reprocessing activities; the size of Iran’s uranium stockpile; whether Iran has suspended work on all heavy water-related projects; nor Iran’s inventories of centrifuges and related equipment.
In addition, Iran is not implementing the modified Code 3.1 of the Subsidiary Arrangements General Part, nor the Additional Protocol. The Director General further notes Iran’s continued refusal to engage the Agency in seeking to address the unresolved safeguards issues during this reporting period.
Chair,
Throughout the reporting period, the Agency did not conduct any in-field verification activities in accordance with the NPT Safeguards Agreement. When considered in conjunction with Iran having stopped implementing its JCPOA nuclear-related commitments more than five years ago, the Agency has no information to report on the current status of the implementation of any of the JCPOA nuclear-related commitments of Iran.
Iran stopped provisionally applying its Additional Protocol in February 2021. Since that date, Iran has not provided updated declarations and the Agency has not been able to conduct complementary access to any sites and other locations in Iran.
Chair,
We call on Iran to engage the Agency meaningfully in order to facilitate the full and effective implementation of safeguards in Iran in accordance with the NPT Safeguards Agreement and implement the relevant provisions of Security Council and Board resolutions.
To conclude, we support the draft resolution tabled by the United States of America, France, Germany and the United Kingdom and call on all Board members to do likewise.
Thank you, Chair.