New York, April 30 (SANA) Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stressed the importance of adhering to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and working collectively toward reducing nuclear arsenals.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at United Nations headquarters, held on the sidelines of the 11th Review Conference of NPT parties, Grossi said: “A world with a greater number of countries possessing nuclear weapons would by no means be a safer world. Therefore, we must renew our firm commitment to the international norm of nuclear non-proliferation.”
He expressed concern that heightened tensions, declining trust among states and doubts about alliance reliability could prompt some countries to reconsider earlier decisions not to pursue nuclear weapons.
On Iran’s nuclear program, Grossi said reports about enriched uranium stored underground could not be verified without direct inspection, adding: “Until international inspectors are able to go there and verify for themselves that there has been no breach or tampering with the material, the reality of the current situation cannot be confirmed.”
He noted that during the agency’s last visit, the stockpile stood at about 440 kilograms, and said efforts to facilitate inspectors’ return to Iran remain on hold amid renewed military escalation.
Grossi added that returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) faces “valid technical challenges,” noting that the agreement had been based on a significantly smaller nuclear program, and that alternative approaches may now be required.
On the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, he said the primary concern remains ensuring the facility’s safety and avoiding any nuclear incident. He added that discussions had taken place with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts, while emphasizing that the agency supports but is not a party to ongoing negotiations.
Separately, Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), described the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as a central pillar of the global disarmament and non-proliferation framework.
Speaking at the same UN venue on Wednesday, Floyd said the treaty has been highly effective since opening for signature 30 years ago, nearly ending nuclear weapons testing. “Before the treaty opened for signature, more than 2,000 tests had been conducted; over the past three decades, fewer than 12 tests have taken place,” he said.
He noted that the treaty’s International Monitoring System can detect nuclear explosions equivalent to 500 tons or more of TNT anywhere in the world, including underground and underwater, and said all six nuclear tests conducted by North Korea had been detected, including the smallest.
Floyd warned that current geopolitical tensions and pressures on multilateral cooperation risk reviving nuclear testing, saying such threats could trigger a wider cycle of testing “we do not want to begin, as it may never be stopped.”
He stressed the importance of the treaty entering into force through ratification by the nine remaining states listed in Annex 2, noting that 187 countries have signed the treaty and 178 have ratified it.
The NPT, a cornerstone international agreement, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology, promote cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and advance the goal of complete nuclear disarmament.
N.J/R.K
