Iran Nuclear Non-Proliferation Efforts Under Threat Due to Ongoing Conflict

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The United Nations will hold its five-year review conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York, starting April 27. The conference brings together 191 states parties to assess the treaty’s effectiveness and ensure compliance with its provisions.

This year’s review conference takes place amidst ongoing tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran over nuclear concerns. In 2023, the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran, citing concerns about its nuclear program. The NPT, which entered into force in 1970, is a central agreement that regulates the spread of nuclear weapons.

Under the treaty, non-nuclear-weapon states, including Iran, agree not to acquire nuclear weapons, while nuclear-weapon states commit to curbing the spread of nuclear arms and pursuing disarmament. All parties retain the right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology, subject to safeguards overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The review conference will examine whether the NPT’s provisions are still being honored. Iran has raised concerns about its own compliance with the treaty, citing unresolved safeguards issues and limited inspector access. The IAEA has not found evidence of a structured nuclear weapons program, but US intelligence confirms that Iran had been developing nuclear capabilities.

Iran’s working papers submitted to the conference highlight the need for clarity on the treaty’s application. Tehran argues that attacks on safeguarded facilities violate the treaty’s logic and points to Israel’s position outside the NPT as an example of unequal treatment. The review conference will consider these issues, which may resonate with other non-nuclear-weapon states.

The location of the conference in New York has raised questions about US commitment to international law and UN-facilitated diplomacy. The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has put the review conference in a challenging context.

Source: Al Jazeera