nuclear-news

Can the NPT Keep Nuclear Weapons from Spreading? (MBN)

 This week, a month-long review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
(NPT) began at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Middle
East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), a U.S.-funded service that reaches more
than one million viewers in the Middle East, asked me whether the NPT keeps
nuclear weapons from spreading.

I made four points. First, if the NPT is to
succeed in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, it must clarify what
“peaceful” nuclear activities are permissible. Making nuclear fuel has
brought Iran, North Korea, and Iraq either up to or over the red line of
nuclear weapons manufacturing.

Henceforth, the treaty needs to be
interpreted to prohibit states that lack nuclear weapons from engaging in
this activity. The U.S. NPT delegation seems to have taken this point on:
Yesterday, U.S. representative Christopher Yeaw told the review conference
that there is no “inalienable right” to enrich uranium.

 NPEC 29th April 2026, https://npolicy.org/can-the-npt-keep-nuclear-weapons-from-spreading-mbn/

May 3, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international