Mr. President,
In June this year, Israel and the United States brazenly launched attacks on nuclear facilities of Iran that are under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This set a dangerous precedent whereby a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a Depository State, and a nuclear-weapon State Party of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), launched a military strike against nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards in Iran, a non-nuclear-weapon State of the NPT. This constitutes not only a military strike against nuclear facilities but also a heavy blow to the NPT and the IAEA regime. Over the past three months, many member states of the international community have clearly stated their positions on many international and multilateral occasions, firmly opposing and strongly condemning such hegemonic and bullying behavior.
Military strikes against nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards constitute a serious violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law. Such actions could trigger nuclear leaks or even nuclear disasters, undermine the credibility of the IAEA safeguards system and the authority of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. The international community should firmly oppose such acts. “Any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency. This is a fundamental consensus affirmed by resolutions of the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, and the IAEA General Conference, and cannot be denied. The IAEA Director General has repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment, and that such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security.
China believes that safeguarding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime is crucial to maintaining international peace, security, and stability. It aligns with the fundamental interests of the international community, especially all State Parties to the NPT and Member States of IAEA. IAEA is an important international organization for upholding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, performing safeguard functions, and promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It is necessary for Member States to take a clear stance on the prohibition of attacks against nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, to pool strengths, uphold principles and justice. It is also for the above considerations that China decided to co-sponsor the draft resolution on Iran.
Iran has repeatedly stated that the resolution aims to reaffirm relevant important principles and is not targeted at any specific country. China appreciates Iran's constructive efforts. Meanwhile, we also noted that certain countries, driven by their own interests, attempt to coerce the IAEA Member States into taking sides, denying or even overturning the basic consensus of the international community. China firmly opposes such naked hegemonic practices.
Mr. President,
President Xi Jinping has put forward the Global Security Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, advocating a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, calling for Staying committed to international rule of law and stressed that the authority and solemnity of international law must be upheld. Major countries, in particular, must take the lead in advocating and defending international rule of law. We call on IAEA Member States to make principled, responsible, and constructive efforts to uphold international rule of law and principles. IAEA Member States should clearly stand on the right side of history and jointly safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and IAEA safeguards system.