Statement by the Foreign Affairs Minister on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

October 13, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:

“Canada supports an effective rules-based international order, and is committed to a pragmatic approach to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed to with Iran in 2015 and endorsed by the UN Security Council, under the leadership of the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the U.K., the U.S., and Germany) and the European Union, has helped to curb a real threat to international peace and security.

“I am pleased to announce that Canada will provide an additional $1.5 million to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its Iran verification work.

“The JCPOA subjects Iran to an independent and extensive verification regime by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and provides the international community with a high degree of insight into Iran’s nuclear program. According to the IAEA, Iran continues to implement its JCPOA commitments. Canada believes that the JCPOA is essential in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability and in ensuring greater regional and global security.

“Canada is a leading contributor to the IAEA, which robustly monitors and verifies Iran’s implementation of its commitments. Since the JCPOA came into force, Canada has provided $11.5 million in voluntary contributions in support of the IAEA’s JCPOA mandate.

“Canada condemns Iran’s ongoing development of its ballistic missile program and its ballistic missile launches, which are destabilizing for the region.  Canada maintains sanctions that target Iran’s ballistic missile program.

“Canada is engaging with Iran in order to protect key Canadian interests, including Canadian consular interests, promote our values, and advance human rights. We continue to oppose Iran’s support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its support for the Assad regime in Syria, and its ballistic missile program. We will continue to work closely with our allies and partners to hold Iran to account.”

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Adam Austen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adam.Austen@international.gc.ca

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