US-Israel tensions over Iran pose threat to Middle East nuclear accord

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The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has convened its five-year review conference in New York. The gathering comes amidst a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with discussions centered around Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.

According to Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, Iran has agreed to “zero accumulation” and “zero stockpiling” of enriched uranium, as well as full verification of its existing stockpile by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The existing stockpile will be downblended to natural uranium levels and converted into fuel.

However, hours after Albusaidi’s announcement, US and Israeli strikes were reported. This development has raised concerns about the NPT’s effectiveness in preventing nuclear proliferation.

The NPT was established in 1968 with Ireland as its first signatory. It entered into force in 1970 and is currently adhered to by 191 member states. The treaty consists of three pillars: nonproliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Experts have expressed concerns about the NPT’s credibility, citing inconsistent enforcement of its principles. Sahar Khan, a Washington, DC-based independent analyst, stated that “the NPT’s grand bargain has fundamentally broken down” due to modernization of nuclear arsenals by nuclear-weapon states.

Hossein Mousavian, who worked on Iran’s nuclear diplomacy team, added that the treaty’s credibility has been damaged by inconsistent enforcement. He noted that nuclear-weapon states have fallen short of their disarmament commitments while continuing to modernize their arsenals and develop strategic partnerships with nuclear-armed states outside the treaty.

The 2000 NPT review conference was the last major moment of consensus before the 2003-2011 Iraq War, which undermined faith in the international community’s ability to enforce the treaty. The current review conference has raised similar concerns about the NPT’s effectiveness and its shift towards a more politicized instrument.

Source: Al Jazeera