January 24, 2012
As we gather in this chamber, an alarm bell is ringing. Never has it been so clear that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon.
UN Security Council convenes on the situation in the Middle East (UN Photo/Evan Schneider)
Text:
As this is the first time that I have addressed the Security Council in the New Year, let me congratulate the five new Council members on their election. I wish each of you the best of luck in navigating the sometimes stormy debates of this hall.
As we gather in this chamber, an alarm bell is ringing. Never has it been so clear that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon. This is the single greatest threat to the security of the entire world.
Now is the time to act. Tomorrow is too late. The stakes are too high. The price of inaction is too great.
The latest IAEA reports prove beyond any doubt that Iran has a nuclear weapons program, which is advancing rapidly. Iran recently announced that it will enrich uranium to a 20 percent-level at its nuclear facility in Qom. There is no plausible civilian justification for this action. It blatantly violates numerous resolutions of this Council – and will bring Iran significantly closer to producing weapons-grade, highly enriched uranium.
Each and every member of the United Nations – and particularly this Council – should lie awake at night thinking about what would happen if the regime in Tehran gets ahold of the most dangerous weapon on earth.
Only the pressure of a united international community can stop Iran from continuing its march toward nuclear weapons. The political and economic price that Iran will pay must be clear. Israel commends the recent steps taken by the U.S, the EU, and others in this regard. Although these are important steps, we all must judge them based on their results. It is time for the rest of the international community – and this Council – to join these efforts.
