Iran’s NPT vice president post sparks US-led backlash, nuclear tension

Mumbai: Iran’s election to a key post at Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference in New York triggered a sharp showdown Monday, with US, UK, Australia and UAE objecting on opening day.Iran was elected as one of 34 vice presidents representing Non-Aligned Movement at the conference led by Do Hung Viet. US envoy Christopher Yeaw called the selection “beyond shameful” and an affront to NPT credibility, accusing Iran of contempt for treaty obligations and failure to adhere to norms of International Atomic Energy Agency. He alleged Tehran continued advancing a nuclear weapons programme.Iranian envoy Reza Najafi rejected criticism as baseless and politically motivated. “US is modernising its nuclear weapons and increasing its arsenal and is supporting Israel’s nuclear weapons programme. US attacked Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities,” he said.The conference runs until May 22. India, Pakistan and Israel remain outside NPT, calling it discriminatory.UN secretary general António Guterres said the treaty is eroding as “drivers of proliferation are accelerating”, adding humanity faces rising nuclear risk. “Nuclear threat is increasing thanks to new technologies,” he said, adding nuclear tests are back on table and the number of nuclear warheads is on the rise for the first time in decades.The clash marked a rare opening-day confrontation at NPT review meeting, with both sides trading allegations over nuclear conduct.