Article Title: Israeli and US actions against Iran amount to nuclear brinkmanship
25-06-2025
International Relations Current Affairs Analysis
Context
• The attacks on Iran might have damaged its nuclear installations and, in particular, its uranium enrichment capabilities.
• Yet, this naked aggression was against a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a country that had willingly subjected its facilities to international scrutiny of IAEA
• Iran had also signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with the P5+1 (nuclear armed states plus Germany) to ensure that its nuclear capabilities remained peaceful, only for it to be rendered meaningless after the U.S. withdrew from it during President Donald Trump’s first term.
• Israel’s hypocrisy is stark. It remains a non-signatory to the NPT and refuses any oversight by IAEA of its undeclared, but known, arsenal.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
• The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) marks 55 years on 5th March, 2025.
• It was approved by the UN General Assembly on 12th June, 1968 and came into force on 5th March, 1970.
• About NPT: It is the only multilateral binding treaty to disarmament while promoting peaceful nuclear energy use.
• Key Provisions: It defines Nuclear Weapon States as countries possessing nuclear weapons before 1st January , 1967 (USA, UK, France, China, and USSR/Russia).
• Non-nuclear states agree not to develop nuclear weapons, while nuclear states pledge not to transfer them.
• It allows peaceful use of nuclear energy.
• Membership: 191 members with 5 NWS (US, Russia, UK, France & China).
• India is not a member.
• Monitoring: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitors compliance.
• India and NPT: India opposes the NPT, calling it discriminatory, as it legitimizes nuclear weapons for five countries while denying the same right to others.
• India follows a "No First Use" (NFU) policy and is committed to global nuclear disarmament
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