Iran Blasts US Over Nuclear Treaty Breaches

(MENAFN) Iran's Permanent Mission to the UN fired back at Washington on Saturday, accusing the United States of flagrant non-compliance with its obligations under the global nuclear non-proliferation framework and denouncing what it called blatant double standards.

"For 56 years, the US -- possessor of thousands of nuclear warheads and the No. 1 proliferator of such weapons -- has been in clear non-compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament obligations under Articles I and VI of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty)," the mission said in a formal statement.

"The US should not be given any cover for its outrageous and hypocritical behavior," it added, in remarks disseminated via X, the American social media platform.

The mission further challenged the legal basis for restrictions on uranium enrichment, asserting that "Legally, there is no restriction on the level of uranium enrichment, so long as it is conducted under the IAEA's (International Atomic Energy Agency) supervision, as was the case with Iran."

The strongly worded rebuke coincided with the convening of the 11th Review Conference of parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York City, where diplomats have gathered against a backdrop of mounting global anxiety over nuclear risks and intensifying strategic rivalries.

The statement also landed amid a deepening diplomatic impasse between Washington and Tehran, with negotiations toward a permanent end to the war remaining effectively frozen. Reports have emerged suggesting Iran floated a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while deferring discussions on its nuclear program to a later stage.

President Donald Trump underscored Washington's uncompromising posture on Thursday, warning that the US would secure Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium "one way or the other," and declaring that "they'll either give it to us or we'll take it."

Nuclear Watchdog's Efforts Hindered
Adding another layer of complexity to the standoff, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi disclosed Wednesday that the agency's on-the-ground verification efforts have been severely compromised by deteriorating security conditions.

Grossi revealed that IAEA inspectors had been scheduled to visit a newly declared Iranian nuclear facility on June 13 of last year — the precise date on which US-Israeli strikes commenced, rendering any inspection impossible. "Access was going to take place on June 13, on the day the attacks commence," he said.

The conflict erupted on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched strikes against Iran, triggering retaliatory operations by Tehran against American allies across the Gulf and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation was announced on April 8, followed by talks held in Islamabad on April 11–12 — though no formal agreement was reached. Trump subsequently extended the truce unilaterally and without a defined end date, acting at Islamabad's request.

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