Why can’t Iran have nuclear weapons if other countries can?published at 16:53 British Summer Time
Raffi Berg
Middle East digital editor
Image source, ReutersOnly a handful of countries have nuclear weapons: the UK,
US, Russia, China, France, India, Pakistan
and North Korea. Israel is widely believed to have them but
neither confirms nor denies this.
So, why can some countries have them and others can’t?
The answer lies in a 1968 pact called the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
It says countries can have civilian
nuclear programmes, but that no more countries should get nuclear weapons than
already have them. The NPT is legally binding and the vast majority of
countries signed up to it – including Iran.
However, Israel, India, Pakistan and South Sudan have not
signed it, and North Korea has since pulled out.
India and Pakistan were not recognised as
nuclear weapon states when the treaty began and they would be required to
disarm if they joined it now. South Sudan is a relatively new country with no
nuclear programme.
Israel has not signed because it pursues a policy of nuclear
ambiguity as a tactic against foes and does not allow inspections of its
nuclear facilities, which would be required under the NPT.
Iran, Arab countries and others have long demanded that
Israel be pressured into disarming and being transparent about its nuclear
programme, viewing Israel’s supposed arsenal as a source of regional tension
and a threat.
Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and does not
possess any, though many countries are not convinced by Iran’s claim of
peaceful intentions.
In 2002 it was discovered to have had a secret nuclear
programme not allowed under the NPT, triggering a years-long crisis which in
large part led to today’s events.
