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The Plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament on Prevention of Nuclear War, Including All Related Materials - 13 June 2023

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Statement by

Mr. Mahdi Aliabadi

Deputy Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office in Geneva

Before The Plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament

on Prevention of Nuclear War, Including All Related Materials

(Under the Agenda Item 2: Prevention of Nuclear War, Including All Related Matters)

13 June 2023

In the name of God, the most compassionate the most merciful

 

Thank you Madam President,

At the outset, I would like to thank you for convening this very important session under Agenda Item 2 of the conference, “Prevention of Nuclear War, Including All Related Matters”.

I would also like to join previous speakers and thank the distinguished panelists for their well-informed insights and contributions to the conference on the history and present for FMCT.

Madam President,

Today, the risk of a nuclear war is extremely high, and it is regrettable that the ultimate goal of nuclear disarmament has been overdue for a long time.

Iran deeply believes the only way to prevent a nuclear war is the complete and irreversible elimination of all nuclear weapons under international effective control.

As long as some states possess nuclear weapons, there will be a possible risk of nuclear war under interpretations based on the national interests of those states and their allies.

Madam President, Distinguished Representatives,

It is very unfortunate that last week the distinguished representative of a member state to the CD stated in his remarks before this body that his respective government may use nuclear weapons in some certain situations. A policy that might lead to specifically the security of a nuclear member state in the short term; but it certainly endangers the international security, breaks the taboo of the use of nuclear weapons, and undermines all efforts on furthering international peace and security in this conference and other international circles.

In this regard, let me raise the question of who has the competency to recognize certain situations and What are the characteristics of a certain situation?

These threatful remarks show how dangerously near a nuclear war may be.

Madam President,

The only essential guarantee to prevent a nuclear war is complete, irreversible and verifiable nuclear disarmament.

It is indeed a matter of concern that the obligation of nuclear weapon states under Article 6 of the NPT has not been fulfilled yet.

As stated in the final document of the NPT 1995 review conference as a package, pending complete and irreversible nuclear disarmament, it is essential that nuclear weapon states assure non-nuclear weapon states parties to the treaty against the use or threat of use of such weapons.

I would also like to remind Nuclear Weapons States of their commitments under Action Plan 5 of the final document of the NPT 2010 review conference to promptly "discuss policies that could prevent the use of nuclear weapons and eventually lead to their elimination, lessen the danger of nuclear war, and contribute to the non-proliferation and disarmament of nuclear weapons."

 

Madam President,

Reinforcing the existing discriminatory status of NWS and NNWS is not an option for us. We can not to have another discriminatory instrument that will defeat the purpose.

Accordingly, Iran believes any legally binding instrument on fissile materials should be perused in line with the ultimate goal of nuclear weapons disarmament and, in an indiscriminate manner, encompass the irreversible elimination of all the existing stockpiles under international verifiable mechanisms.

 

I thank you Madam President!