UN Nuclear Treaty Conference Ends Without Consensus Amid US-Iran Clash Over Nuclear Program

A major United Nations conference reviewing the global nuclear nonproliferation treaty ended without agreement on Friday after sharp disagreements between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), held at the UN headquarters in New York, failed to produce a consensus final document among the treaty’s 191 member states.

Vietnam’s UN Ambassador Do Hung Viet, who chaired the conference, announced that member nations could not agree on the revised draft document.

The outcome marks the third consecutive failure of the NPT review conference process, a key global platform for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation discussions.

US-Iran Tensions Dominate Conference

The deadlock largely centred on escalating tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear activities.

Iran blamed the US and its allies for obstructing consensus at the conference. In a post on X, the Iranian mission to the UN accused Washington of undermining the treaty process and warned that the future of the NPT was at risk without meaningful nuclear disarmament.

The US, meanwhile, accused Iran of violating its obligations under the treaty and criticised Tehran for refusing to provide inspectors access to nuclear facilities bombed during the 2025 conflict involving the US and Israel.

Iran, a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, is required to allow inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

What the Final Draft Proposed

According to AP, the final draft document called for “constructive dialogue” and efforts to reduce global strategic risks and ease international tensions.

The draft addressed the three core pillars of the NPT — nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy under international safeguards.

However, in an attempt to build broader consensus, negotiators reportedly avoided directly naming countries or addressing several contentious issues, including North Korea’s nuclear programme, attacks on nuclear facilities in Ukraine and Iran, and growing concerns over nuclear deterrence policies among US allies.

Experts Warn Global Nuclear Framework Under Pressure

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said the conference exposed deep cracks within the global nuclear order.

According to AP, Kimball said support for the NPT remained strong in principle, but warned that major powers were failing to take meaningful action on disarmament and arms control.

He also cautioned about growing risks linked to nuclear arms expansion, renewed nuclear testing and concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Johnson of the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy criticised both the United States and Russia for escalating nuclear rhetoric and weakening commitments to nuclear disarmament agreements.

Why the NPT Matters

The NPT, which came into force in 1970, is considered the cornerstone of global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

The treaty seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to additional countries, promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and advance global nuclear disarmament efforts.

The previous review conference in 2022 had also failed after Russia blocked consensus over references linked to the Ukraine war and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.