Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 March 2023.

UK Ambassador to the IAEA, Corinne Kitsell, gave a statement on behalf of the UK, France and Germany to the IAEA about Iran’s implementation of its obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement.

Chair,

France, Germany, and the United Kingdom thank Director General Grossi for his report on the implementation of safeguards in Iran contained in GOV/2023/9.

We fully support and commend the DG and the Secretariat for their professional, independent and impartial verification of Iran’s safeguards obligations. We also fully support and commend their repeated efforts to engage Iran on information necessary to assess the correctness and completeness of Iran’s declarations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement. The IAEA should continue to evaluate all safeguards-relevant information available, in line with its mandate and standard practice.

We note the Director General’s latest visit to Tehran for senior level discussions. We note that following discussions, and due to the Director General’s relentless efforts to address all outstanding issues with Iran, a Joint Statement was agreed between the IAEA and the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran on 4 March, where Iran agreed to provide further information and access to address these issues.

Chair,

It has been over four years since the Agency sought clarifications from Iran regarding possible undeclared nuclear material at a number of undeclared locations in Iran, including the detection of anthropogenic and isotopically altered nuclear particles at three of these locations. Over this period, there have been numerous interactions between the Agency and Iran, including technical and high level visits to Tehran and several Joint Statements where Iran has committed to cooperating with the IAEA to resolve the outstanding safeguards issues. However, Iran is still to live up to its commitments and the Agency has yet to receive technically credible explanations from Iran, despite multiple requests and ample opportunities to do so.

The Board of Governors has repeatedly underscored its concerns over Iran’s ongoing lack of substantive co-operation with the IAEA and the message to Iran has been clear and unambiguous: it must fully cooperate with the Agency to clarify and resolve all outstanding issues and to fulfil its legal obligations. The Board has adopted three resolutions on this matter, contained in GOV/2020/34, GOV/2022/34, and GOV/2022/70. The most recent of these in November last year decided that it is essential and urgent in order to ensure verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material that Iran act to fulfil its legal obligations and, with a view to clarifying all outstanding safeguards issues, take certain actions without delay.

It is deeply concerning, therefore, that since November, Iran has taken none of the actions requested by the Agency, nor those demanded by the Board, and therefore no progress has been made towards resolving any of the outstanding safeguards issues.

We emphasise again the message from the Agency that unless and until Iran provides technically credible explanations to the Agency’s outstanding questions, the Agency will not be able to confirm the correctness and completeness of Iran’s declarations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement.

Chair,

The E3 are seriously concerned that new safeguards issues related to Iran’s implementation of its NPT Safeguards Agreement have arisen, as captured in the Director General’s latest report.

We note with grave concern the centrifuge configuration changes made by Iran at Fordow without prior notice to the IAEA. It is all the more concerning that the DG’s report indicates that Iran implemented this change immediately following the Agency’s previous inspection at the FFEP earlier the same day. As the IAEA has confirmed in its report of 1 February contained in GOV/INF/2023/1, this is inconsistent with Iran’s obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement and undermines the Agency’s ability to implement effective safeguards measures at Iran’s nuclear facilities. We would like to recall that Iran providing a revised DIQ and facilitating an increase in the frequency and intensity of Agency verification activities at FFEP cannot be portrayed as progress in Iranian co-operation. Iran provided a revised DIQ only after it was caught acting in a manner inconsistent with its safeguards agreement by not declaring in advance modifications on certain cascades in Fordow. These Agency verification activities stem from Iran’s obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement.

We are even more alarmed by recent sampling at Fordow – which itself was a previously undeclared facility – demonstrating the presence of particles of uranium highly enriched to 83.7%. This is an unprecedented and extremely grave escalation , grossly inconsistent with the level of enrichment declared by Iran at 60%. We remain to be convinced by Iran’s claim that this was due to ‘unintended fluctuations’ and ask the Secretariat for further reporting on explanations for these alarming findings. We call on Iran to comply with all its legally-binding safeguards obligations, to fully cooperate with the Agency’s application of effective safeguards at Fordow and other nuclear facilities, and to provide substantiated, technically credible explanations for the presence of 83.7% particles.

Iran must also clarify, without delay, the new issue, reported by the Agency in its report to this Board, regarding a discrepancy – detected almost a year ago – between the amount of natural uranium from JHL declared by Iran and the amount verified by the Agency. Such discrepancies only add to calls for Iran to improve its co-operation with the Agency in the implementation of safeguards.

Chair,

We fully support the Director General in his efforts to engage Iran in order to clarify all outstanding safeguards issues. We note from the 4 March Joint Statement Iran’s high-level assurances that it is willing to cooperate with the Agency to resolve these issues and to engage in follow-up discussions. Let us recall that it has been a year since Iran made a similar commitment, also in the form of a Joint Statement, which it subsequently failed to uphold. The Board has heard enough promises. After four years, what it needs to see is action. Iran must take the essential and urgent actions set out in GOV/2022/70 and immediately provide the necessary technically credible information and access to locations and materials in order to effectively clarify and resolve outstanding issues without delay.

Further, it is regrettable – yet consistent with its previous behaviour – that Iran delayed inviting the Director General to visit Tehran until the very eve of the Board, despite having had months to schedule such a visit.

Iran’s pattern of behaviour and increasing disregard for its NPT safeguards obligations is deeply concerning, and bringing us closer to the point where the Agency will not be able to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material.

Chair,

We have always been clear that this is a matter of Iran’s legally binding obligation to ensure the verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material under its NPT Safeguards Agreement. There is no political solution to this issue: only Iran can provide the necessary technically credible information to the Agency’s satisfaction. Following the DG’s visit to Tehran, Iran must now seize this final opportunity to provide full and prompt co-operation to the Agency to clarify and resolve all outstanding issues without any possible delay. If Iran fails to implement by the next Board the essential and urgent actions in the November 2022 Resolution, the Board will have to be prepared to take further action, including making a finding, if necessary, on whether the Agency is not able to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material.

Chair,

Lastly, we once again recall that implementation of Modified Code 3.1 is a legal obligation for Iran under the Subsidiary Arrangement to its NPT Safeguards Agreement which cannot be modified, interpreted or stopped unilaterally. We would like to thank the IAEA for it impartial and professional work on this issue. We encourage the Director General to continue reporting to the Board of Governors, and provide earlier updates on these issues as necessary, and welcome making the report contained in GOV/2023/9 public, consistent with long-standing practice.

Thank you, Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 March 2023.

In 1938/9, a team led by Thomas Kendrick and George Berry, as well as Reverends Hugh Grimes and Frederick Collard, worked in defiance of their instructions and in danger to their lives to provide travel documents and baptismal certificates for Jews desperate to cross Austria’s borders to safety.

Thank you once again for joining us on this special day, and for bearing with the cold outside. As we reflect on the 85th anniversary of the Anschluss this year and the horrors that followed for Jewish people in Austria, I just wanted to share a little more of the largely forgotten story we are remembering today and which I believe exemplified hope, and faith in life. It’s a remarkable true account illustrating the best of the human spirit at the worst of times. It’s about how a British diplomatic team fuelled by moral bravery and unwillingness to simply standby made an incredible and enduring difference.

From March 1938 onwards, as the British Embassy was downgraded first to a Legation and then Consulate-General under Nazi occupation, a dedicated team of diplomats, consular and church officials converted their horror at the persecution of Jews into decisive action. The passport team led by Thomas Kendrick and then which became 25 strong under George Berry – as well as Reverend Hugh Grimes and then Reverend Frederick Collard of the Anglican Christ Church in Vienna – worked together in defiance of their instructions and in danger to their own lives to provide travel documents and baptismal certificates for Jews desperate to cross Austria’s borders to safety. While Grimes and Collard carried out hundreds of baptisms per day in order to make it easier for Jews to be allowed to leave the country, the diplomatic team worked around the clock to exploit all possible loopholes for issuing travel permits and emergency passports, even going as far as issuing fake documents.

It was a dangerous, awful business, with often chaotic and distressing scenes outside the Church and Embassy buildings, described by a member of staff as “a dreadful, dreadful time”. I have read through a number of our staff records from the time – they talk of the terrible Nazi harassment of those Jewish people queuing outside forced to scrub pavements or wash Nazi vehicles in the pouring rain. The deluge of applicants was huge and those who could not be seen that day were given a numbered and dated ticket for the next. One of my former colleagues talks of pregnant women refusing to leave in the hope their child could be born on British territory; there is an awful account of a young couple who could not be processed that day that left to commit suicide, such was their lack of hope. British staff worked through the day and night and wrote of the nightmares in which they could only see tearful, desperate faces. The “Schuld”, the guilt not to be able to do more, pervaded everything. Every day they heard stories of Jewish sons, daughters, husbands who had been picked up and bundled into trucks and then nothing… It was the hearing nothing that was the worst.” Both Collard and Kendrick were separately interrogated and beaten in the Nazi headquarters at the Hotel Metropole, whilst the Jewish-born verger of Christ Church was imprisoned and sent to Auschwitz where he died.

By the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the team had saved thousands of lives; by 1945, thanks to our Foreign Office and Church of England predecessors’ collective efforts, courage and moral stance, tens of thousands of Jewish lives were saved. Until now, many of those British officials’ names were unknown. Some names, for security reasons, will remain unvoiced. But never forgotten. That is why it is a collective plaque today.

We are honoured that so many diplomatic colleagues, survivor families and friends have joined us today. By doing so you honour both the victims and those who worked so hard to help. Thank you again to the Rt Hon Lord Pickles and President Sobotka for presiding over the unveiling on behalf of both the British and Austrian governments. And to Reverend Curran and Chief Rabbi Hofmeister for their prayers and terrific support for today’s event. Our joint efforts to work ever closer together on post holocaust memory and related issues is so central to our strong, values-based relationship today.

For many today, I know it will be an emotional moment. As the granddaughter of a German Kind, no less for me. The celebration of life saved, when so many countless others could not be. An event of collective memory and thanksgiving so appropriately on the Jewish festival day of Purim, which is all about the survival of Jews marked for death in the 5th century, and symbolising triumph over adversity.

Here in the centre of Europe, we today also must bear witness and double our resolve to action against another, modern day genocide. Less than 500 km away, on former Austrian empire soil, millions of Ukrainians daily face Putin’s violent threat to their lives, homes, language, culture and right to sovereign, peaceful existence. Once again, the UK proudly stands firm with our allies for liberty. With a diplomatic service ready to act with integrity and compassion to help bring hope and help in dark times to those most in need.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 March 2023.

The Foreign Secretary announces sanctions on International Women’s Day targeting gender-based violence in Iran, Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

• Foreign Secretary announces sanctions on International Women’s Day targeting gender-based violence in Iran, Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic
• it follows the launch of a new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Women and Girls Strategy which sets out plans to tackle gender inequality across the globe
• he is currently on a visit to Sierra Leone where he is meeting women MPs instrumental in passing landmark reforms to support gender equality and women’s empowerment

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has today (8 March) announced a new package of sanctions aimed at human rights violators, particularly those who target women and girls.

This package includes 4 individuals and 1 entity involved in grievous activities, including military figures who have overseen rape and other forms of gender-based violence in conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. It also sanctions government institutions in Iran responsible for enforcing mandatory dress codes for women in Iran with unreasonable force.

The tough sanctions were announced after the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office earlier launched a new strategy which aims to tackle increasing threats to gender equality, from conflict to humanitarian crises to climate change.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Promoting gender equality brings freedom, boosts prosperity and trade, and strengthens the security of us all. However, hard-won gains on gender equality are under increasing threat.

These sanctions send a clear message that the perpetrators of abhorrent gender-based violence must be held accountable.

We are increasing our efforts to stand up for women and girls, and will use all the tools at our disposal to tackle the inequalities which remain.

Those sanctioned today are:

• Major General James Nando, who commanded the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence in Tambura County in 2021
• Mahamat Salleh Adoum Kette, in Central Africa Republic (CAR), who has overseen rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence committed by Front Populaire pour la Renaissance de la Centrafrique (FPRC) and Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) fighters
• Amjad Youssef, a member in ‘227 Region Branch’, who has been involved in repressing the civilian population in Syria, including through systematic rape and killing of civilians
• the Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil in Iran, and its head official Seyyed Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, who have been responsible for the enforcement of mandatory dress codes for women with unreasonable force

The Foreign Secretary is currently in Sierra Leone launching the FCDO’s first Women and Girls Strategy, which puts the rights of women and girls at the heart of everything the department does.

He has been visiting his mother’s hometown of Bo to see how UK-funded projects are helping women and girls. He is today visiting a Special Care Baby Unit at the Bo Government Hospital, where UK support is improving blood banks and equipment, increasing electricity access, supporting patients’ health and safety and saving the lives of pregnant women.

At a secondary school he was able to hear from schoolgirls about their aspirations for the future. The UK is supporting and empowering girls to understand their sexual and reproductive rights.

This afternoon he will meet members of a cross-party group of women MPs in Sierra Leone who have been instrumental in delivering legislation in support of women’s empowerment. Together they have successfully supported the passing of a landmark Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill, after over 12 years of advocacy from civil society groups.

Separately, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence, is in New York meeting members of a new international alliance set up by the UK to drive action on preventing sexual violence in conflict, which is convening for the first time today.

He will announce that the UK is committing a further £430,000 to the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims. He will be joined virtually by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, who welcoming the alliance said:

I am grateful to the United Kingdom for the initiative to create the International Alliance to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict. We have high hopes for the newly created Alliance. If war crimes are committed somewhere, they are crimes against all of humanity, against human rights, against the rules of international coexistence. It is only together that we can fight for this.