Views and Proposals of the Islamic Republic of Iran
on “Universality of the NPT”
at the Subsidiary Body III of the Tenth NPT Review Conference
New York, 9 August 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Mr. Vice-Chair,
At the outset, I would like to congratulate you on your election as the Vice-Chair of the MC subsidiary III and assure you of the full cooperation of my delegation.
Achieving the complete universality of the NPT is an important factor in realizing its objectives on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. It is worthy to note also that the Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons derives its legitimacy from the larger objective of nuclear disarmament. The best way to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons in all its aspects is the full and effective implementation of the Treaty’s Articles I to VI and universal adherence to the NPT.
Therefore, we believe that the Review Conference should accord the required attention to this critical issue. In this context, the Israeli regime is a vivid example requiring urgent attention of the Review Conference. Because, this regime possesses all types of weapons of mass destruction and threatens to use them against the regional countries. It has committed various terrorist attacks against nuclear scientists and has also initiated different sabotage attacks against nuclear facilities. Taking into account the totality of this insidious background, the Israeli regime must be forced to join all related instruments, including the NPT, without any precondition and as a non-nuclear party while placing all of its nuclear facilities and activities under the comprehensive safeguards of the IAEA.
Unfortunately, certain NWSs reward nuclear-armed non-parties with nuclear cooperation and trade in nuclear power reactors. For instance, they continue to provide a great deal of economic and military aid to the only non-party to the NPT in the Middle East. With this kind of assistance, the Israeli regime has afforded to run its un-safeguarded nuclear facilities at which it produces plutonium for its underground nuclear weapons program.
In addition, it is a matter of deep concern that certain States Parties continue to impose unilateral and arbitrary restrictions beyond the IAEA safeguards on the transfer of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology for peaceful purposes.
Regrettably, such restrictions are applied to NPT States Parties where non-parties to the Treaty with nuclear weapons arsenal benefit from nuclear cooperation by certain nuclear-weapon States.
Fortunately, in line with previously adopted commitments in past RevCons and to deal properly with the above issues of grave concern, the Non-Aligned Movement and also my delegation have submitted working papers and introduced concrete proposals and we hope they will be considered and used in developing the outcome document of the Review Conference.
I thank you, Mr. Vice-Chair.