Iran: The Leading Proponent for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World
by Stephen Lendman
As long as these weapons exist, humanity's survival remains up for grabs. Sooner or later they'll be used. Armageddon may follow.
The world's entire nuclear weapons stockpile must be eliminated to prevent it. The consequences otherwise are too potentially catastrophic to ignore.
Albert Einstein deplored nuclear weapons. "I have always condemned the use of the atomic bomb against Japan," he said.
Five months before his November 1954 death, he stressed:
"I made one great mistake in my life…when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made…"
Separately he said: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
On Wednesday, Iran's deputy UN envoy Gholam Hossein Dehghani addressed the UN Disarmament Commission.
He accused the world's nuclear powers of failing to reduce their nuclear weapons stockpiles responsibly.
He urged negotiations for a treaty to achieve total nuclear disarmament by a designated date - "a comprehensive, binding, irreversible, verifiable" one as the most effective and practical way to eliminate these weapons of mass destruction.
He accused world nuclear powers of disarmament talk with no action.
He spoke days after Iran and P5+1 countries announced framework terms ahead of aiming for a final agreement on Tehran's nuclear program by June 30.
The UN Disarmament Commission includes all 193 member states.
Its current meeting is occurring ahead of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty's (NPT) five-year review. It begins on April 27.
It's been in force since 1970. A global bargain was struck. Nations without nuclear weapons agreed not to develop or acquire them.
They endorsed the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy. Dehghani said it's time to end incremental nuclear disarmament steps.
Eliminating them altogether on a fixed timetable is essential, he stressed. In 2013, over 100 Nonaligned Movement states proposed beginning talks on comprehensive nuclear disarmament.
Russia expressed willingness to participate. At the same time, its Foreign Ministry counselor Olga Kuznetsova said deploying America's so-called global missile defense risks a nuclear arms race.
The only solution is for nations to refrain from strengthening their security irresponsibly at the expense of others.
Developing high-precision non-nuclear weapons threatens "strategic parity" between nuclear powers.
"(G)lobal destabilization of (the) international situation in general" could follow.
Chinese official Sun Lei urged nations to "abandon Cold War mentality." Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should make "drastic and substantive" cuts, he said.
Washington and Israel remain the world's greatest obstacles to nuclear disarmament. Both countries show no inclination whatever to do it.
Separately, Iranian President Hassan Rohani said Iran won't sign a final nuclear deal unless all sanctions are lifted immediately.
Doing it incrementally is unacceptable. "We will not sign any deal unless all sanctions are lifted the same day," he said. "We want a win-win deal for all parties involved in the nuclear talks."
Anything less can't work. Washington and Iran have different interpretations of what was agreed on in Lausanne.
Tehran may issue a fact sheet to counter one Obama officials put out it says distorts framework terms.
Congress, Israel and its Lobby intend going all-out to undermine consummating a fair and equitable final deal with Iran.
Completing one with teeth may be impossible. Washington's sordid history proves it can't be trusted.
Whatever happens during ongoing nuclear talks, expect business as usual to continue.
Expect no end to anti-Iranian sentiment. Expect US betrayal like virtually every time before.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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