Iran Calls for Israel's Nuclear Disarmament on Behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, emphasized the Non-Aligned Movement's positions at the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, urging Israel to join this treaty. According to IRNA news agency, Mr. Zarif, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement at the opening session of this conference in New York on Tuesday, May 7, called for the 'full implementation of Resolution 1995 regarding the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.' He recalled the 2012 summit of Non-Aligned Movement member states and its stance towards Israel, stating: 'At that time, the Non-Aligned Movement called on Israel to refrain from possessing nuclear weapons and to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty unconditionally, placing all its nuclear activities under comprehensive safeguards of the Agency.' According to the Iranian Foreign Minister, however, 'with a long delay in the implementation of this resolution,' serious concerns have arisen for the Non-Aligned Movement, and therefore, it 'calls for all necessary actions to ensure its full and immediate implementation.' Reuters also reported another part of Mr. Zarif's remarks at the conference, stating that Non-Aligned Movement countries consider Israel a 'serious and ongoing threat to the security of its neighboring countries and others, condemning Israel for its continuous production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons.' Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the existing speculation that it is the only country with a nuclear arsenal in the Middle East. This country, like India and Pakistan, which are two nuclear powers that are members of the Non-Aligned Movement, has not yet signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Nevertheless, Mohammad Javad Zarif emphasized that 'all countries must strive to strengthen the universality of the treaty and refrain from actions that have negative effects on it.' He referred to nuclear-armed countries and NATO, stating that the Non-Aligned Movement is concerned about the military and security doctrines of these countries and NATO that 'justify the use or threat of use of such weapons.' Mr. Zarif then stated: 'Any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity and a violation of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.' Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister, who is in New York, is scheduled to meet with John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, on the sidelines of the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, where the nuclear dispute with Tehran and the issue of Yemen will also be discussed. AFP reported, citing a senior U.S. diplomat, that Mr. Kerry will ask his Iranian counterpart to take action to reduce violence in Yemen and warns that the future of Yemen should not be determined by groups from outside the country. Iran is accused of supporting Houthi rebels who have taken control of the capital and some major cities in Yemen. However, what the leaders of the Islamic Republic have emphasized so far is that Iran's negotiations with the U.S. are only related to the nuclear issue and not other topics. The meeting between John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif is set to take place on Tuesday afternoon local time.