Iran's nomination as Vice President of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty conference sparks row

A diplomatic clash marked the 11th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. The dispute centred on Iran's nomination as one of 34 vice presidents of the month-long conference. The conference chair, Vietnam's UN ambassador Do Hung Viet, said that Iran was nominated "the group of non-aligned and other states" as the Vice President of the conference. The Non-Aligned Movement is the largest grouping of states outside the UN, and was formed during the US and the USSR Cold War era. They decided to stay outside the binary of the Capitalist and Communist war.

How did the members react to Iran's nomination?

The US representative to the NPT objected to Iran's nomination, calling it an “affront to the NPT itself.” “We are deeply shocked that this body has chosen to allow Iran to assume any position of leadership at this review conference,” said the US representative. Iran called it a double standard, arguing that Iran has consistently adhered to the NPT, whereas the US's huge nuclear arsenal and its actions “undermine disarmament efforts” and violate the treaty. Iran's representative pointed out the US-Israeli Operation Midnight Hammer, Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, on “peaceful nuclear facilities, facilities that are under the safeguard of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” as “a direct assault on the integrity of the global non-proliferation.”

Also Read: Trump unhappy with Iran's proposal over nuclear postponement clause

The E3 states (the United Kingdom, France and Germany), backed by Australia and the UAE, expressed concern about the elevation of Iran to a leadership position, which sends a dangerous message. Highlighting its actions since February 28, against its neighbours were destabilising, "brutal" and "unlawful."

“If a state party can disregard its obligations, undermine verification, destabilise its region, threaten international waterways, and still be elevated to a leadership position in this process, then we must ask what message this conference is sending," said the UAE representative. Russia backed Iran, and accused the E3, Australia and the UAE of “political attacks.”