Iran renewed the call for universal nuclear disarmament as the only way to achieve peace in the world.

Iran seeks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and criticizes nuclear-armed nations for modernizing and expanding their arsenals instead of pursuing disarmament.

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Iran renewed the call for universal nuclear disarmament as the only way to achieve peace in the world. Speaking at the UN disarmament conference on Tuesday, January 21, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, said that if the world really wants peace, nuclear disarmament is essential.

The UN disarmament conference, which formally convened in Geneva on Tuesday, will continue until September 12 in three successive parts. The conference, which has 66 member states, operates under a rotating presidency, with leadership changing alphabetically after every four working weeks.

Bahreini pointed out how crucial resources that could be used for social and economic development are instead being used to maintain and expand nuclear arsenals, which is putting the world into danger.

He criticized nuclear-armed nations for failing to uphold their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), arguing that rather than pursuing disarmament, these countries continue to modernize and grow their nuclear arsenals.

“There are about 3,800 active nuclear warheads and about 12,000 nuclear warheads in total in the world, and countries with nuclear weapons, especially NATO member countries, continue to use weapons in violation of legally binding obligations under the NPT” and other agreements, Bahreini said.

Iran Seeks To Revive JCPOA

Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told press on Tuesday that his country is always ready to start the negotiations to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also referred to as the “Iran nuclear deal”.

The JCPOA, signed between Iran and six world powers–the US, the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia–was designed to allow Iran to maintain a peaceful nuclear program under certain restrictions. The deal paved the way for the removal of all international sanctions on Iran. However, in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal calling it “the worst deal ever,” and reimposed sanctions on Iran in violation of the JCPOA’s provisions.

In response, Iran gradually withdrew from its commitments under the deal and started enriching uranium at higher levels, citing the failure of other signatories to persuade the US to rejoin the deal.

The Biden administration initially indicated a willingness to restore the US’s commitments. However, they subsequently imposed fresh sanctions against Iran, with allies of the US following suit.

Gharibabadi criticized the west’s refusal to engage in talks as well as their policy of imposing illegal unilateral sanctions. He offered flexibility in the Iranian approach stating, “the most logical path forward is to initiate talks on lifting sanctions, which is a reasonable and correct approach,” Tehran Times reported.

Renewed Calls For JCPOA Talks Amid Trump’s Return

Following Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections in November there have been fresh calls for the revival of JCPOA negotiations.

Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also emphasized the need for good-faith, diplomatic efforts to resolve the issues around JCPOA on Tuesday. Regarding the inauguration of Trump’s second presidency, Grossi urged both Iran and Trump to resolve their differences through dialogue.

He stressed the US’s indispensable role in preventing further confrontation and wars and hoped that the new Trump administration would adopt a more pragmatic approach to negotiations in the coming days.

During his first term, Trump insisted that any JCPOA talks must include Iran’s regional and defense policies, not just its nuclear program. Iran has firmly rejected any renegotiating the terms of JCPOA claiming that such demands violate its sovereignty.

Last week, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, ruled out the possibility of direct talks with the US until it first rejoins the JCPOA. “After the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, the Europeans held negotiations with Washington. Our position remains unchanged: we will not negotiate directly with the US on the nuclear issue until they rejoin the JCPOA and demonstrate their commitment.”

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stressed that the agreement was based on mutual interests, affirming that Russia and Iran can ensure their security independently, without resorting to the intervention of third countries. pic.twitter.com/Zr3EfzwQ3s

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