Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
reported in November 2003 that Iran had been developing an undeclared nuclear
enrichment program for 18 years and had covertly imported nuclear material and
equipment, carried out over 110 unreported experiments to produce uranium
metal, separated plutonium, and concealed many other aspects of its nuclear
facilities;
Whereas, in November 2004, the Governments of the United
Kingdom, France, and Germany entered into an agreement with Iran on Iran's
nuclear program (commonly known as the Paris Agreement
),
successfully securing a commitment from the Government of Iran to voluntarily
suspend uranium enrichment operations in exchange for discussions on economic,
technological, political, and security issues;
Whereas Article XII.C of the Statute of the IAEA requires
the IAEA Board of Governors to report the noncompliance of any member of the
IAEA with its IAEA obligations to all members and to the Security Council and
General Assembly of the United Nations;
Whereas Article III.B–4 of the Statute of the IAEA
specifies that if in connection with the activities of the Agency there
should arise questions that are within the competence of the Security Council,
the Agency shall notify the Security Council, as the organ bearing the main
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and
security
;
Whereas, in September 2005, the IAEA Board of Governors
adopted a resolution declaring that Iran's many failures and breaches
constitute noncompliance in the context of Article XII.C of the Statute of the
IAEA;
Whereas, on January 3, 2006, the Government of Iran
announced that it planned to restart its nuclear research efforts in direct
violation of the Paris Agreement;
Whereas, in January 2006, Iranian officials, in the
presence of IAEA inspectors, began to remove United Nations seals from the
enrichment facility in Natanz, Iran;
Whereas Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Jack Straw
warned Iranian officials that they were pushing their luck
by
removing the United Nations seals that were placed on the Natanz facility by
the IAEA 2 years earlier;
Whereas President of France Jacques Chirac said that the
Governments of Iran and North Korea risk making a serious error
by pursuing nuclear activities in defiance of international agreements;
Whereas Foreign Minister of Germany Frank-Walter
Steinmeier said that the Government of Iran had crossed lines which it
knew would not remain without consequences
;
Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated,
It is obvious that if Iran cannot be brought to live up to its
international obligations, in fact, the IAEA Statute would indicate that Iran
would have to be referred to the U.N. Security Council.
;
Whereas President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated,
The Iranian government and nation has no fear of the Western ballyhoo
and will continue its nuclear programs with decisiveness and
wisdom.
;
Whereas the United States has joined with the Governments
of Britain, France, and Germany in calling for a meeting of the IAEA to discuss
Iran's non-compliance with its IAEA obligations;
Whereas President Ahmadinejad has stated that Israel
should be wiped off the map
; and
Whereas the international community is in agreement that
the Government of Iran should not seek the development of nuclear weapons: Now,
therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)condemns the
decisions of the Government of Iran to remove United Nations seals from its
uranium enrichment facilities and to resume nuclear research efforts;
(2)commends the
Governments of Britain, France, and Germany for their efforts to secure the
2004 Paris Agreement, which resulted in the brief suspension in Iran of nuclear
enrichment activities;
(3)supports the
referral of Iran to the United Nations Security Council under Article XII.C and
Article III.B–4 of the Statute of the IAEA for violating the Paris Agreement;
and
(4)condemns actions
by the Government of Iran to develop, produce, or acquire nuclear
weapons.