Destruction Of Nuclear Weapons, Only Way To Stop Nuclear Threats: UN Envoy

New York, April 3, IRNA – Iranˈs Deputy Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Gholamhossein Dehqani stressed that elimination of nuclear weapons from the face of the world was the only guarantee for putting an end to nuclear threats. Addressing a session the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Monday, Dehqani criticized the Zionist regime for hindering the process of the Middle Eastˈs denuclearization. Calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons worldwide, he stressed that every necessary efforts should be taken to achieve the goal. He regretted that remaining of thousands of nuclear weapons in the warehouses of the big powers and those of their allies have put a serious threat against international peace and security. Dehqani added allocation of billions of dollars to nuclear tests by nuclear countries and development of a new generation of the nuclear arms as well as construction of new installations for producing nulcear weapons were other threats posed against the world peace and security. Iran urged all countries, including the nuclear members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizatioin (NATO), to abide by their commitments to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and remove the use of nuclear weapons from their military doctrine,ˈ he added. Dehqani also noted that Tehran had earlier proposed a plan to make a nuclear-free Middle East, however, the idea has not been materialized yet due to the Zionist regimeˈs opposition. Noting that Iran and every Arab states have expressed their readiness to take part in the conference on the ˈMiddle East Denuclearization,ˈ Dehqani stressed they would never accept any precondition for their participation. He urged complete implementation of the UN approvals on global and the Middle East denuclearization./end