Back
World News

Iran Elected as NPT Review Conference Vice President; US and Allies Object

Generated on: Last updated: 2 sources
View source

Iran Elected Vice President of NPT Review Conference, Sparking Controversy

"It is indisputable that Iran has long demonstrated its contempt for the non-proliferation commitments of the NPT."
— Christopher Yeaw, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Nonproliferation

The 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) opened Monday at the United Nations in New York. During the proceedings, Iran was elected as one of the conference's 34 vice presidents, a nomination put forward by the group of non-aligned and other states, according to conference chair Do Hung Viet, Vietnam's UN ambassador.

Reactions to the Election

United States

Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yeaw strongly criticized the election. Yeaw characterized Iran's role as an "affront" to the NPT, stating it is "indisputable that Iran has long demonstrated its contempt for the non-proliferation commitments of the NPT" and alleging Iran has refused to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog. He called the election "beyond shameful and an embarrassment to the credibility of this conference."

Iran

Reza Najafi, Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, rejected the US statements as "baseless and politically motivated." He defended Iran's right to peaceful nuclear development and noted that the United States is the only state to have used nuclear weapons and continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.

Other Nations

  • The United Arab Emirates and Australia publicly supported the US objection.
  • The United Kingdom, France, and Germany expressed concern.
  • Russia's Ambassador-at-Large Andrey Belousov objected to what he described as the politicization of the conference.

Background on Iran's Nuclear Program

Iran’s nuclear activities remain under international scrutiny. Iran states its uranium enrichment is for peaceful purposes, while Western governments and the IAEA have raised concerns regarding enrichment levels and inspection disputes. The IAEA and US intelligence have assessed that Iran ended a previous nuclear weapons development program in 2003.

Context and Previous Actions

  • This appointment follows a similar pattern: In April, Iran was nominated to the UN's Committee for Program and Coordination, with only the US formally objecting.
  • The last NPT review conference in 2022 failed to produce a consensus document.
  • The NPT came into force in 1970.

UN Spokesperson Response

"The Secretary-General is not involved in electing member states to leadership roles... member states are accountable for the results of such elections."
— Stéphane Dujarric, UN Spokesperson

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that the Secretary-General is not involved in electing member states to leadership roles and that member states are accountable for the results of such elections. He encouraged a focus on broader nuclear threats.