Experts pointed out that even in the absence of a review agreement for the third time in a row, the treaty continues to exist, but with diminished legitimacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe text keeps on becoming less and less anchored in the realities of current conflicts and proliferation risks,\u201d including North Korea and Iran, analyst Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group said before the outcome was announced.<\/p>\n
The latest version of the text seen by AFP on Friday merely stated that Tehran must \u201cnever\u201d develop nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
The paragraph was in brackets, signaling persistent disagreement, despite the removal of the reference to Iran\u2019s \u201cnon-compliance\u201d with its obligations that appeared in the first draft.<\/p>\n
Also gone were expressions of concern about North Korea\u2019s nuclear program, or even any mention of the \u201cdenuclearization\u201d of the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>\n
Gone as well was the direct call on the United States and Russia to begin negotiations on a successor to the New START treaty limiting Russian and American arsenals, which expired in February.<\/p>\n
The diluted text still covered \u201cthe risk of a resumption of nuclear testing by Russia, China and the United States, the growth of arsenals, and attacks on nuclear infrastructure,\u201d Heloise Fayet of the French Institute of International Relations said earlier on Friday.<\/p>\n
Exactly why the review failed isn\u2019t yet known.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe majority of countries are indeed working in good faith for disarmament,\u201d said Seth Shelden of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), commenting on the failure of the talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the small handful of nuclear-armed states, and certain of their allies, are undermining the NPT, frustrating disarmament efforts, expanding arsenals and provoking proliferation, and pointing the world toward catastrophe,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the nine nuclear-armed states \u2014 Russia, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea \u2014 possessed 12,241 nuclear warheads in January 2025, 90 percent of which were in American and Russian hands.<\/p>\n
Some countries are modernizing their arsenals or even increasing their stockpiles.<\/p>\n
The NPT, which entered into force in 1970 and has been signed by almost all states \u2014 with notable exceptions including Israel, India and Pakistan \u2014 aims to prevent proliferation, promote complete disarmament and encourage cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.<\/p>\n
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