Tehran (Iran), May 23, 2026, BNN Web Staff:Iran sharply criticised the United States and its allies after the latest round of discussions linked to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ended without consensus at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The deadlock emerged during the third round of the NPT Review Conference, where participating nations failed to adopt a final document amid growing disagreements surrounding Tehran’s nuclear programme and global disarmament commitments.
In a statement posted by Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Tehran accused Washington of derailing negotiations through what it described as “excessive demands” and warned that the future of the treaty itself could be at risk without meaningful nuclear disarmament efforts.
According to reports, negotiations continued until the final hours of the conference, with several controversial references reportedly removed from draft versions of the concluding document. These included language concerning Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and the denuclearisation of North Korea.
A major sticking point remained a proposed phrase asserting that Iran “can never seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons.” Iranian representatives reportedly pushed for its removal, while the United States insisted the wording remain part of the final text.
Conference President Do Hung Viet expressed regret over the failure to achieve consensus, calling the outcome disappointing for the international community.
The conference, which began on April 27 at the UN headquarters in New York City, marks the third consecutive NPT review meeting to conclude without a jointly approved final declaration.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, opened for signature in 1968 and enforced since 1970, remains one of the world’s most significant international agreements aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting peaceful nuclear cooperation and global disarmament. The treaty currently includes 191 member states, among them the five officially recognised nuclear-weapon powers.
