As NPT turns 40, US “very concerned” about Iran
Washington, 2 July (IranVNC)—Marking the 40th anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT], the United States yesterday said it was concerned that countries like Iran had “violated” the agreement.
By: IranVNC
Published: Wednesday, July 02, 2008
15:23GMT—11:23AM/EST
US – IRAN – NUCLEAR – TREATY
Washington, 2 July (IranVNC)—Marking the 40th anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT], the United States yesterday said it was concerned that countries like Iran had “violated” the agreement.
“The United States remains very concerned that parties like Iran have violated their commitments and thereby undermined the Treaty,” said Garold Larson, deputy US ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament.
Iran, which is one of 189 states that have ratified the NPT, was recently offered a package of political and economic incentives from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment.
Iran’s Majlis yesterday threatened to withdraw from the NPT’s Additional Protocol – an article signed by Iran in December 2003, which allows for snap inspections of its nuclear facilities by IAEA experts.
“The issuing of resolutions and sanctions will not only not give them [the 5+1 group] any results, but it will cause us – the members of the great nation of Iran – to take other decisions in defense of the rights of the nation, such as the decision regarding the enacting of the Additional Protocol [of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT],” read a statement signed by 201 of the 287 members of the Majlis that as read aloud in session yesterday.
The NPT gives a country the right to enrich fuel for civilian nuclear power on the condition that the IAEA is allowed to inspect the process.
Iran says it needs nuclear power and that its uranium enrichment activities are aimed at serving that purpose. But the U.S. and its allies suspect Iran’s enrichment activities are being used for preparations to develop an atomic bomb.
Larson, who was addressing a seminar entitled “Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty” in Geneva, urged NPT members to take steps to keep states from withdrawing from the pact.
“Parties should also identify and embrace steps to deter future Treaty withdrawals by violators and to ensure that violators’ misuse of the benefits of the NPT do not endanger the security of other Parties,” Larson said.
IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei has warned that if Iran left the treaty, it could build a nuclear weapon within one year.
“If Iran wants to turn to the production of nuclear weapons, it must leave the NPT, expel the IAEA inspectors, and then it would need at least six months to one year,” ElBaradei said in an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television late last month.
Article 10 of the NPT gives each party to the treaty the right to withdraw “if it decides that extraordinary events… have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.”
Sources: US Mission to the Conference on Disarmament website, Iran Majlis website, United Nations website, Middle East Media Research Institute website
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