Working Paper Submitted by the Islamic Republic of Iran

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Peaceful uses of nuclear energy

Working paper submitted by the Islamic Republic of Iran

1. All States parties should make every effort to facilitate international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. States that are in a position to do so should assist the developing countries in mastering technologies for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

2. All States parties should ensure that measures taken by them to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation would facilitate rather than hamper the exercise of the legitimate rights of the developing countries for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Those restrictions on the transfer of technologies for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy that are beyond the safeguards required under the Treaty should be removed.

3. The States parties recognize the important role of the Technical Cooperation Fund of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in fulfilling obligations set forth in article IV of the Treaty. The States parties emphasize that every effort should be made to ensure that IAEA has the necessary financial and human resources to meet its responsibilities in the area of technical cooperation. The States parties express their concern about the decrease of the pledges and contributions to the Technical Cooperation Fund and urge the States parties that are also IAEA members to make full and timely payments to the Fund.

4. The States parties recognize the important role of IAEA in assisting in the development of nuclear power, as well as in assisting in the applications of nuclear technology in developing countries, especially in the fields of agriculture, human health and environmental protection. The States parties encourage IAEA to further strengthen technical cooperation in the area of nuclear power and nuclear technology applications.

5. The States parties reaffirm their inalienable right to engage in research on, and production and use of, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination; and that the free, unimpeded and non-discriminatory transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes to all States parties should be fully ensured.

6. The States parties reaffirm that, beyond safeguards required under the Treaty, unilaterally enforced restrictive measures that prevent peaceful nuclear development should be removed.

7. The States parties reaffirm the responsibility of nuclear supplier States parties to the Treaty to promote the legitimate needs in respect of nuclear energy of the States parties to the Treaty, with preferential treatment rendered to developing ones, by allowing the latter to participate to the fullest in the possible transfer of nuclear equipment, materials, and scientific and technological information for peaceful purposes with a view to their achieving the largest benefits and applying pertinent elements of sustainable development in their activities.

8. The States parties reaffirm the inviolability of peaceful nuclear activities emanating from the international norms prohibiting the use of force in international relations, and in particular Article 2, paragraph 4, of the Charter of the United Nations, in considering that any attacks or threat of attack on nuclear facilities devoted to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy would entail highly dangerous political, economic and environmental implications particularly on the civilian inhabitants; and believe that they bear a solemn responsibility to continue to play a leading role directed towards the establishment of comprehensive and universal norms and standards specifically prohibiting attacks, or threat of attacks, on nuclear facilities devoted to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

9. Every effort should be made to ensure that IAEA has the financial and human resources necessary in order to meet effectively its responsibilities in the areas of technical cooperation, safeguards and nuclear safety.