Statement by H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI before the Conference on Disarmament General Debate

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Statement

By

 H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva

Before

 The Conference on Disarmament General Debate

 Geneva, 21 January 2025

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

 

Thank you, Mr. President,

At the outset, let me congratulate you on assuming the presidency of this august body, the single multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament. Let me assure you of my delegation’s support and cooperation in fulfilling your mandate as the CD president.

I would also like to take the opportunity to welcome distinguished Ambassadors of Hungry, Belgium, Brazil, and DPRK who have recently joined us.

Aligning with the G-21 statement delivered by Colombia, I am honored to make the following statement on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran before this august body.

Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues,

The Conference on Disarmament as the single multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament, has the mandate of negotiating legally binding instruments in this field in accordance with the final document of the First Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament (SSOD-I).

To realize this mandate, the Conference should adopt a comprehensive and balanced decision on its work that would bring it into working mode. It is important to preserve the negotiating mandate of this unique body and prevent turning it into a deliberative forum.

Last year, the Conference as a result of close coordination and cooperation, and the continuity of strives among the five presidents, could adopt a decision on its work and establish five subsidiary bodies to start its negotiating mandate.

We are hopeful that under your leadership and the other presidents namely Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, and Mexico, this year the Conference will be able to adopt a comprehensive and balanced program of work and continue the work of the five subsidiary bodies formed in 2024.

Mr. President,

As we open the 2025 session of the Conference on Disarmament, the unprecedented arms race, especially in the field of nuclear weapons, and the rhetoric and threats to use such weapons persist.

Still, a significant amount of the budget and money that could be directed on social and economic development and creation of sustainable peace and security in the world, is wasted on the maintenance, production, and modernization of nuclear weapons and mongering wars.

Regrettably, Nuclear Weapon States have not only failed to honor their obligations to nuclear disarmament under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but have also pursued to renew and modernize their nuclear arsenals. There are approximately 3,880 active nuclear warheads and around 12,000 total nuclear warheads in the world, and nuclear-weapon states, in particular those within NATO, in violation of their legally binding obligations under the NPT and its Review Conferences outcomes, continue to rely on nuclear weapons.

More than 40 countries, in manifest non-compliance with the letter and spirit of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, rely on the extended nuclear deterrence provided by the USA. Five NATO states by hosting United States nuclear weapons continue breaching their international legal obligations.

Mr. President,

All of these, acknowledge the fact that the risk of a nuclear war can be very high, and the continued existence of nuclear weapons undermines the international security environment and presents a countless threat to humanity. Indeed, the failure of efforts to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race increases the danger of the proliferation of nuclear weapons and compromises the letter and spirit of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

As the final document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly (SSOD-I) highlights, disarmament in the nuclear field is essential for the prevention of the danger of nuclear war, the strengthening of international peace and security, and the economic and social advancement of all people.

As long as nuclear weapons exist, the threat of the use of these types of weapons lingers. Therefore, nuclear disarmament must remain the ultimate priority in the area of disarmament, and collective commitments to attain a world free of nuclear weapons including in the Conference on Disarmament, need to be upheld.

Nuclear disarmament as the priority goal and immediate task of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) underscored by paragraphs 20 and 47 of the SSOD-I, requires an urgent effort towards initiating negotiations within the CD for the conclusion of a comprehensive convention aimed at achieving the complete, verifiable, and irreversible elimination of all nuclear weapons. Undeniably, to this end, Nuclear Weapon States have a legal commitment and bear the most responsibility.

Pending the ultimate goal of a nuclear weapons-free world, non-nuclear weapon states are also entitled to enjoy Negative Security Assurances. The final document of the SSODI asks nuclear weapon states to “pursue efforts to conclude appropriate, effective arrangements to assure such states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The same requirement has also been made by the NPT Review Conferences, particularly in the 13 practical steps in 2000 and the action plan on nuclear disarmament in the 2010 Review Conference.

Mr. President, Distinguished delegates,

The Creation of a Middle East Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction due to the unlawful nuclear activities and nuclear weapon arsenals of the regime of Israel remains elusive. This Regime, as a result of continuing possession of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and refraining from placing its non-peaceful nuclear activities under the IAEA’s safeguard supervision, is the main and single obstacle to the realization of such region in the Middle East, proposed by Iran in 1974.

Iran urges the international community to compel Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear party, eliminate all its nuclear weapons, and put all its nuclear facilities and activities under the IAEA’s safeguard supervision.

To conclude Mr. President,

We look forward to working with you, and other delegations based a comprehensive and balanced decision on the work of the Conference encompassing all CD’s core mandates following the objectives set up by the final document of the First Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament.

Thank you.

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