Iran ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over NATO Nuclear Threat

The elimination of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s nuclear threat is a key to fulfilling the obligations of the Non-Poliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT), Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said during the opening day of the 2015 NPT in New York.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — The goal of the NPT conference is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to further achieve nuclear disarmament.

“We remain deeply concerned by military and security doctrines of the nuclear-weapon states, as well as that of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in which they justify the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and maintain unjustifiably the concept of security based on nuclear deterrence and nuclear military alliances.”

Zarif reiterated Iran’s commitment to creating the Middle East free of nuclear weapons, but mentioned that various countries in the region were slowing down possible progress in this direction.

“We express deep concern at the continued lack of progress in the implementation of nuclear disarmament obligations and commitments by the nuclear-weapon-states, which could undermine the object and purpose of the Treaty and the credibility of the non-proliferation regime,” Zarif said.

Iran’s foreign minister went on to label Israel as a serious threat to security in the region for continuing to develop and stockpile nuclear arsenals.