Iran’s Mission to the UN has said that the US is not complying with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, calling it “hypocritical behavior.”
“For 56 years, the US — possessor of thousands of nuclear warheads and the No. 1 proliferator of such weapons — has been in clear non-compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament obligations under Articles I and VI of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty),” Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN said in a statement on Saturday.
“The US should not be given any cover for its outrageous and hypocritical behavior,” it added in the statement shared on X.
“Legally, there is no restriction on the level of uranium enrichment, so long as it is conducted under the IAEA’s (International Atomic Energy Agency) supervision, as was the case with Iran,” the mission added.
Nuclear treaty conference in New York
The 11th Review Conference of parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is underway in New York City, bringing diplomats together amid heightened concerns over nuclear risks and strategic competition.
The statement came amid an ongoing stalemate between the US and Iran as talks over forging a permanent end to the war remain stalled.
Reports have indicated that Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz while leaving negotiations over its nuclear programme for a later date.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US would secure Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium "one way or the other," saying that “they'll either give it to us or we'll take it."
Nuclear watchdog's efforts hindered
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday that the watchdog's verification efforts have been hindered by security conditions on the ground.
He said inspectors were scheduled to visit a newly declared Iranian nuclear facility on June 13 last year, but US-Israeli strikes began the same day.
"Access was going to take place on June 13, on the day the attacks commence," he said, adding that the timing made inspection impossible.
The US and Israel began strikes against Iran on February 28, prompting retaliation from Tehran against US allies in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was announced on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, followed by talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, but no agreement was reached.
Trump later unilaterally extended the truce without setting a new timeframe, at Pakistan's request.
