Tehran Dialogue Forum calls for establishing nuclear-free zone in West Asia
The Tehran Dialogue Forum (TDF) has underscored the vital need for the establishment of a nuke-free zone in the West Asian region.
On the second day of the Tehran Dialogue Forum on Monday, Karen Hallberg, Secretary General of the Pugwash Conferences for Science and World Affairs, said that in West Asia, “with the exception of Israel, all countries are signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), demonstrating their collective commitment to non-proliferation.”
“Furthermore, there is clear interest among regional states in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Despite political differences, consensus exists regarding non-proliferation,” Hallberg added.
The peaceful use of nuclear energy should be promoted in all states, she said, adding, “with IAEA safeguards serving as the verification mechanism to ensure exclusively peaceful nuclear activities.”
Paolo Cotta-Ramusino, former Pugwash Secretary General, also underscored the fundamental distinction between peaceful nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, stating, “The development of nuclear energy does not inherently indicate the pursuit of nuclear weapons. Peaceful applications remain vitally important for socioeconomic development.”
The Pugwash is an international entity dedicated to reducing the threats posed by nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Through informal dialogues among scientists, policymakers, and experts, it provides evidence-based, scientific solutions to global security challenges.
Nasser Hadian, professor of political science at the University of Tehran also said, “Israel is the sole possessor of nuclear weapons in the region and sees no reason to give up its nukes due to the so-called security that these weapons provide.”
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has the right to use peaceful nuclear technology and conduct nuclear research for various purposes, including health, agriculture, industry, and other vital sectors.
He said Iran’s religious beliefs do not permit the production of nuclear weapons—arms that can “destroy humanity and have nothing to offer the future of the Earth but savagery.”
Iran has said Israel is the only obstacle to the realization of a nuclear weapons-free West Asia.
Israel pursues a policy of deliberate ambiguity about its nuclear weapons and is estimated to possess 200 to 400 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, making it the West Asia’s sole possessor of the non-conventional arms.
