"The international community must hold this regime accountable through resolutions and decisions that call upon the regime to renounce its possession of nuclear weapons, accede to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon party, and subject all its nuclear facilities and activities to comprehensive IAEA safeguards," Ershadi said in her statement addressing the “High-Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly To Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear-Weapons”, the IRNA reported on Wednesday.
The full text of Ershadi's statement is as follows:
Mr. President,
My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Azerbaijan on behalf of the NAM.
Today, the increasing risk of a nuclear conflict brings us closer than ever to a doomsday scenario. The nuclear doctrine justifying the use of nuclear weapons, the lowering of the threshold for their deployment continue to serve as the foundation of the nuclear strategies of the nuclear-weapon States, particularly those within NATO. A troubling nuclear arms race is underway, with all nuclear weapon States upgrading their arsenals. Just as an example, in 2023, the United States and the United Kingdom allocated staggering sums of $50.9 billion and £3 billion, respectively, to their nuclear weapon programs.
These actions are clear indications of the ongoing failure of nuclear weapon States to meet their disarmament obligations as outlined in the NPT and the 13 Practical Steps of 2000 and the 22 Action Plan of 2010 on nuclear disarmament.
Iran deeply shares the frustration of non-nuclear-weapon States in the face of this deeply troubling situation and emphasizes the utmost importance of immediate and full compliance by all nuclear weapon States with their Article VI obligations.
In the same vein, Iran expresses profound concern over the persistent and protracted delays in implementing the 1995 resolution and the 2010 Plan of Action for the Middle East. The Israeli regime, with the support of the United States, has consistently opposed all initiatives aimed at establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. The possession of hundreds of nuclear weapons by this regime poses a severe threat to the security of the Middle East and beyond. A vivid example of this regime’s outlawed action is calling for a so-called “credible nuclear threat against Iran” which was brazenly raised by the regime’s prime minister on 22 September 2023. We categorically condemn this illegitimate, illegal and irresponsible position and action. The international community must hold this regime accountable through resolutions and decisions that call upon this regime to renounce its possession of nuclear weapons, accede to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon party, and subject all its nuclear facilities and activities to comprehensive IAEA safeguards.
Today, our primary focus underscores the critical and urgent need for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The survival of humanity depends on a firm consensus: nuclear weapons must never again be tested, developed, or deployed, and their total elimination is the ultimate but pressing goal.
The successful realization of this lofty goal depends on well-considered steps, including the prompt commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament for a comprehensive convention that addresses every aspect of these inhumane weapons. Total elimination of nuclear weapons stands as the only guarantee against the use or threat of nuclear weapons. Let us consume them before they consume us and let's seize every available opportunity to transform this globally shared goal into a reality.
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