29 Mar 2024


Sputnik - Henk Cor Van der Kwast, the chairman of the first session of the Preparatory Committee (PREPCOM) for the 2020 NPT Review Conference, has spoken with Sputnik on the issue of the Non-Proliferation Treaty amid the possible collapse of the Iran Nuclear Deal.




MOSCOW (Sputnik), Ksenia Shakalova The nuclear deal betweenIran and a number ofworld powers is a very "important aspect" forthe Treaty onthe Non-Proliferation ofNuclear Weapons (NPT) and any changes toit would "have an impact" onit, Henk Cor Van der Kwast said onthe sidelines ofthe Moscow Nonproliferation Conference.

The official stressed that the deterioration ofthe situation aroundthe Joint Comprehensive Plan ofActions (JCPOA) could impact the Treaty. However, he added that atthe moment it was too early tocomment onthe issue.

The tensions aroundthe accord that was signed in2015 escalated inrecent weeks afterthe statement ofUS President DonaldTrump that he would decertify Iran's compliance withthe deal, butstopped short ofscrapping it altogether. The US leader said he might withdraw Washington fromthe accord if the Congress did not come upwith a viable alternative duringthe review process.

The nuclear deal implies that afterIran fulfills its obligations the country will still be able todevelop its nuclear program butin the peaceful framework. NPT is most often referred toas an international agreement which prevents countries fromacquiring nuclear weapons. However, its aim is also topromote a peaceful use ofnuclear energy withparties tothe Treaty contributing tothis goal. Thus the effective implementation ofthe JCPOA would enable Iran toenjoy its right ofusing nuclear energy forpeaceful purposes underthe NPT.

The NPT came intoeffect in1970 withthe aim ofpreventing the spread ofnukes and has been ratified by190 governments. It recognizes five states asnuclear powers: China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom. India, Israel, and Pakistan have not signed the treaty, while North Korea withdrew fromit in2003.


Every five years parties tothe NPTsummon a conferenceinorder toreview the implementation ofthe Treaty. According tothe United Nations, the PREPCOM is responsible foraddressing the NPT-related issues.



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