Iran Urges Comprehensive Convention against Nukes

Addressing a UN conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, held in New York on March 28, Iran’s UN Ambassador Gholam Ali Khoshroo deplored certain nuclear-weapon states for inaction to implement their nuclear disarmament obligations under article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

He also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to obligations under the NPT, including the obligation to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament.

What follows is the full text of Khoshroo’s speech:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Madam President,

I congratulate you on your election to preside over this conference and wish you success in discharging this important responsibility.

Madam President,

This conference offers a historic opportunity for multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations to take an important step forward. We have come to this conference with the conviction to lay a new foundation for the humankind's endeavors towards the complete abolition of nuclear weapons and mark a turning point in the history of nuclear weapons.

The history of nuclear weapons is associated with the most appalling event in the contemporary history, the greatest genocide and misuse of man's scientific accomplishments. The detonation of the rudimentary nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States created a human disaster of unprecedented proportions and exposed human security to a great threat.

Since then, the total elimination of nuclear weapons has become a strong demand and a high priority of the international community. However, the strong and repeated urge by the global community to abolish these weapons has been ignored by a small number of governments who have based their illusory security on global insecurity.

Unfortunately, international efforts or instruments such as the NPT, for certain reasons, have not succeeded in removing this great threat. The main reason for this failure is that the nuclear-weapon States have not made any serious attempt to implement their nuclear disarmament obligations under article VI of the NPT and we suspect they will never do so in the future.

They do not have political determination to abandon doctrines of nuclear deterrence and nuclear terror. They are working towards upgrading and modernizing their nuclear stockpiles and developing new nuclear warheads with greater destructive power.

Their non-participation in this conference is an example of non-compliance with their international obligations under the NPT to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament.

Iran, as a victim of chemical weapons, strongly feels the danger posed by the existence of weapons of mass destruction and is determined to engage actively in international diplomatic efforts to save humanity from the menace of nuclear weapons. We are committed to our obligations under the NPT including obligation to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament. For these reasons, the Islamic Republic of Iran is participating in this conference.

We strongly believe that the most effective way to achieve and sustain the abolition of nuclear weapons is to negotiate and conclude a comprehensive convention prohibiting nuclear weapons and providing for their verifiable and irreversible destruction within a specified timeframe.

In this context, we support the objective of this conference. We note that prohibition of nuclear weapons must be accompanied by the elimination of such weapons. There can be no doubt that without complete abolition of nuclear weapons, there will be no absolute guarantee against the danger of nuclear war and the use of such weapons.

We expect that negotiations in this conference would result in the conclusion of an international instrument which would comprehensively prohibit the possession, development, production, testing, transfer, deployment, modernization and use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, under any circumstances.

The text of instrument should be clear, precise, and resistant against abuse and any interpretations contrary to its object and purpose.

The instrument should complement all existing relevant legally binding instruments, without having any loophole or being imbalance or discriminatory. It should not leave its implementation to an unforeseeable future, as it is the case with the existing instruments.

Madam President,

In conclusion, I would like to pledge the support and cooperation of my delegation in the work of the conference. The success of the conference requires diligence, patience, precision, and collective efforts in an inclusive and transparent manner.

I thank you for your attention.