بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم Statement by Mr. Nabi Azadi Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran Before The Conference on Disarmament, Plenary Meeting Geneva, 10 March 2020 Mr. President,   After having listened to some delegations who spoke about the issue of gender equality and disarmament and the national reports in this regard, I wonder how this issue would help this body to implement its mandate. Of course, if we negotiate and conclude legally binding instruments on nuclear disarmament, then we will have the opportunity to insert these interesting proposals into those instruments. However, I would like to refer to another important issue which is quite relevant to the mandate of this august body.   As last week marked the 50th anniversary of entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, I should emphasize that the mere existence of nuclear weapons constitutes the greatest threat to international peace and security as well as the survival of humankind. The best and the only guarantee to remove this threat, is transparent, irreversible and total elimination of all nuclear weapons. This is the only absolute guarantee against their threat or use, intentionally or unintentionally. That is why nuclear disarmament, as a central obligation, is one of the NPT's key objectives. Under its Article VI, as unanimously decided and stated by the ICJ, "There exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control". This is an explicit legal obligation with no ambiguity or conditionality.   Mr. President, The deteriorating international security environment, the demise of disarmament and arms control treaties, the erosion of multilateralism, and the voracious lust for global dominance are highly alarming and dangerous. A new nuclear arms race is being accelerated. The faith and trust in the capacity, credibility and legitimacy of the Non-Proliferation Treaty to realize nuclear disarmament as its main goal is under two important threats:   The first and the outmost is the disrespect for collective will and shared concerns of the international community by a country, which presents the gravest threat not only to the objective of nuclear disarmament and the future of the NPT but also violate the fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. This policy is part of systematic attempts to undermine the value, significance and efficacy of multilateralism; to decapacitate multilateral institutions; to undercut international agreements; and to invalidate the oldest principle of international law, that is pacta sunt servanda.   Just as an example and beyond its new Nuclear Posture Review, the recent deployment of a new, low-yield nuclear warhead by the U.S. administration, not only has increased the role of nuclear weapons in the U.S. military doctrine in violation of its NPT obligations and seriously undermined the faith and trust in the capacity and credibility of the Non-Proliferation Treaty to realize nuclear disarmament as its main goal, but also has made the use of nuclear weapons as possible as conventional weapons and nuclear war more likely.   The second threat is the lack of full universality of the NPT. In this regard, we would like to emphasize that lack of progress in achieving the full universality of the NPT would threaten its objectives, erode its credibility and effectiveness and thus pose a threat to international peace and security. We urge the non-parties to accede, promptly, unconditionally and as non-nuclear-weapon parties to the NPT and to place all their nuclear facilities and activities under the IAEA full-scope safeguards. In the same vein, we reaffirm the commitment of all States parties to cease and prohibit completely the transfer or sharing of any nuclear related equipment, information, material, facilities, resources or devices, or the extension of scientific and technical assistance in the nuclear field to non-parties to the treaty without exception.   Mr. President, With these challenges and threats as well as the accumulated unfulfilled commitments during the past NPT Review Conferences, especially 1995, 2000 and 2010, one might asked the question whether we should celebrate the 50th anniversary of entry into force of the NPT or we should be warned of against these challenges and should raise the concerns and frustrations of international community about the prevailing situation. At this juncture, our focus should be on the nuclear disarmament as the urgent need and appeal of the international community and we should avoid any attempts that might dilute, in any way or another, the role and the mandate of the CD and waste energy, time and resources of the CD on less important issues and focus on its agenda.   Mr. President, That is why we have persistently emphasized on preserving the role and the mandate of the Conference on Disarmament and the responsibility of all members to help this august body to fulfill its core mandate. In this regard, the nuclear-weapons states have the lion share of the responsibility for the realization of this goal.   Against the new so-called CEND that aims to create conditionality for nuclear disarmament obligations under article VI and to reinterpret its provisions as well as the nuclear disarmament related obligations agreed upon at the previous Conferences, we must vigorously follow our own CCND: Comprehensive Convention on Nuclear Disarmament. We should reaffirmed the urgent need for nuclear-weapon States to fulfill their nuclear disarmament obligations agreed to in the Final Documents of the 2000 and 2010 Review-Conferences.   I thank you Mr. President.