UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Conference Headed by Iran Fails

There’s a reason we have a proverb about appointing foxes to watch henhouses, but at the UN that would just mean appointing the fox as vice president of the conference on henhouse security.

In that spirit, Iran was appointed as a Vice-President of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference. In entirely unexpected news, that conference failed and failed badly.

Talks at the United Nations aimed at reaffirming global commitments to nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament ended without agreement on Friday after four weeks of negotiations, dealing another setback to the international arms control framework.

The collapse marks the third consecutive failed review conference after similar breakdowns in 2015 and 2022, reflecting deepening divisions among nuclear and non-nuclear states over disarmament commitments and regional security disputes.

The text only stated that Iran “must never” develop nuclear weapons, while earlier references to Tehran’s alleged “non-compliance” with nuclear obligations were removed following objections from several countries, according to AFP.

References expressing concern over North Korea’s nuclear program and calls for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula were also omitted from the final draft under discussion.

Good work everyone. Let’s meet up again in 2031 to do nothing.

It has now been sixteen years since the commitments made at the 1970 Treaty adoption have been reaffirmed or strengthened at a Review Conference, and the next one won’t take place until 2031.

Maybe next time just put Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and ISIS in charge of it. What could go wrong?