UN chief slams collapse of nuclear non-proliferation talks as "missed opportunity to make the world safer"
New York, May 23
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed profound disappointment following the inconclusive conclusion of the 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which concluded without a consensus. The UN chief termed the development a "missed opportunity to make the world safer," according to an Al Jazeera report.
In a formal statement released by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, the Secretary-General acknowledged the active participation of the member nations but deeply lamented the eventual stalemate. Guterres noted that he welcomed the engagement of member states but regretted that the conference fell short, "especially at a time of such pressing challenges that threaten international security".
Expressing grave concern over the escalating global geopolitical gridlock, the UN Chief made an impassioned plea to the international community. He appealed to all states to use every available avenue of dialogue and diplomacy to reduce tensions and lower nuclear risks, describing a world free of nuclear weapons as the UN's highest disarmament priority.
Following the collapse of the month-long deliberations, Iran on Saturday accused the United States and its allies of "obstructionism" after the critical talks were torpedoed at the United Nations. The final sessions deteriorated into a deadlock, with delegates failing to adopt a consensus document amid deep-seated tensions between Washington and Tehran over the latter's nuclear programme.
Detailing the breakdown, the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN hit out at Washington in a social media post on X. The mission stated, "U.S. Excessive Demands Push the NPT into Free Fall. The NPT Review Conference failed for the third consecutive time due to obstructionism by the United States and its allies. Iran's warning: Without nuclear disarmament, no future can be envisaged for the NPT."
Broadcasting the outcome of the high-stakes summit, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday that the international gathering failed to adopt the crucial final text. The report underlined that negotiations fractured primarily over long-standing diplomatic friction regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The political impasse directly challenged the stated position of the United States. Across the top echelons of its leadership, Washington has time and again expressed that Iran can never develop nuclear weapons.
The failure capped weeks of intense diplomacy at the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which had entered its final scheduled day on Friday. The major diplomatic event had opened at the UN headquarters in New York on April 27.
Negotiators made multiple attempts to salvage the text before the final collapse. According to NHK Japan, a draft of the final document was revised four times, during which many contentious phrases were progressively omitted, including initial references to Ukraine's nuclear power plant and North Korea's denuclearisation.
The core dispute, however, centred on a specific clause targeting Tehran. The Japanese outlet noted that behind-the-scenes negotiations continued intensely as representatives of Iran demanded the complete removal of the expression that "Iran can never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons," a phrase the US firmly maintained should be retained.
Confirming the diplomatic failure to the floor, Do Hung Viet, the president of the conference, told Friday's plenary meeting that no consensus could be reached. He called the breakdown very regrettable, as per NHK Japan.
The collapse marks a worrying historical trend for global non-proliferation efforts. NHK Japan reported that this is the third consecutive time that the NPT review conference, which is held every five years in principle, has failed to adopt a final document.
The repeated failure undercuts what is widely considered a cornerstone of global security. The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs noted.
The treaty holds unique legal weight on the world stage. It represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States.
Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970 and was subsequently extended indefinitely on 11 May 1995. A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five recognised nuclear-weapon States.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Third consecutive failure... that's alarming 😟 As an Indian, I find it ironic that the same nations who lecture us about nuclear restraint are the ones blocking progress. The NPT is fundamentally flawed - it's like a club where some members can smoke but others can't even light a match. Unless we address this inequality, these talks will keep failing.
You know, living in the West, we often don't realize how hypocritical our governments look from the outside. US demands Iran never get nukes while modernizing their own arsenal worth trillions. Guterres is right - this is a missed opportunity. But until nuclear weapon states show genuine commitment to disarmament, the 'don't do as I do, do as I say' approach won't work.
As an Indian, I see both sides here. Iran has every right to be frustrated - the US pulled out of JCPOA unilaterally, now they're blocking progress at NPT. But at the same time, we can't pretend Iran's program isn't concerning. The real issue is that these talks have become a geopolitical playground rather than genuine disarmament efforts. India stays out of NPT for good reason - we need our own security guarantees first.
This is genuinely concerning for global security. The NPT has been a cornerstone for decades, but if it keeps failing, what's the alternative? Every country for themselves? As someone who works in international relations, I can tell you - this breakdown creates dangerous precedents. South Asia watches this closely, especially given tensions between India and Pakistan.
S Sneha F