Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The number of nuclear warheads worldwide is rising for the first time in decades, with nuclear testing once again under consideration and global military expenditure projected to reach $2.7 trillion in 2025, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reported in his address to the General Assembly. He emphasized that efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons have weakened due to unfulfilled commitments and eroded trust, calling for renewed commitment to the Treaty to address these challenges. Guterres also highlighted added dangers from rapidly advancing technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, asserting that human control over nuclear arms must not be surrendered until they are fully abolished.
The President of the latest Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Do Hung Viet of Viet Nam, acknowledged the Treaty’s major role in deterring nuclear weapon use for over five decades. He cautioned that the future is uncertain amid growing military budgets and expanding nuclear arsenals. Viet stressed that the absence of the NPT would further erode the stigma against nuclear weapons, posing risks for current and future generations. He underscored heightened risks due to a potential nuclear arms race and the failure to reach consensus in the 2015 and 2022 Review Conferences. Viet urged delegates to engage constructively to reach agreement during the current conference.
Additionally, diplomatic tensions arose with objections to Iran’s nomination for the Vice-President position of the General Committee, citing alleged violations of the NPT in Iran’s nuclear program. The United States stated that Iran’s candidacy was an affront to the Treaty.