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A global coalition of nations sharply criticized the appointment of the Iranian regime as one of 34 Vice-Presidents of the 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which opened on April 27, 2026, in New York. The vice-presidents serve on the conference’s General Committee. Critics described the decision—made via the Non-Aligned Movement bloc—as an affront to the treaty’s credibility given Iran’s documented breaches of its non-proliferation obligations.
U.S. Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yeaw delivered a strong objection, calling Iran’s selection “beyond shameful and an embarrassment to the credibility of this conference.” He stated it was “indisputable that Iran has long demonstrated its contempt for the non-proliferation commitments of the NPT” and has refused to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on questions regarding undeclared nuclear material.
Crippled by the ongoing war and reeling from the unprecedented social hatred following its bloody suppression of the January 2026 uprising, the regime is resorting to its usual desperate tactic: #nuclear extortion.https://t.co/Ty2DVk0U3t
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 31, 2026
The United Arab Emirates expressed its objection to the election of the regime in Iran as Vice President of the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, formally and unequivocally dissociating itself from the decision. The UAE delegation highlighted the regime’s violations of its safeguards obligations, its obstruction of International Atomic Energy Agency verification, its destabilizing conduct in the region—including unlawful attacks on neighbors—and its threats to international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of global economic coercion. It stated: “If a State Party can disregard its obligations, undermine verification, destabilize its region, threaten international waterways, and still be elevated to a leadership position in this process, then we must ask what message this Conference is sending.”
Australia publicly backed the U.S. objection, noting Iran’s failure to cooperate with the IAEA and respect its safeguards obligations.
The United Kingdom, speaking for the E3 (France, Germany, and UK), placed on record its concerns over Iran’s elevation. Separately, the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) delivered a joint statement on April 27 expressing concern that “Iran has not shown willingness to limit its capability to enrich uranium and reduce its stockpiles, while refusing to cooperate fully with the IAEA.”
Multiple delegations noted the IAEA’s inability to provide assurances on Iran’s program and its loss of “continuity of knowledge” regarding nuclear material inventories.
#Iran News: Regime Threatens 93% Enrichment in Latest Nuclear Blackmail Tactichttps://t.co/tc5VVhhi4t
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 14, 2025
On the same day, a bloc of more than 80 nations led by Bahrain issued a separate statement condemning Iran’s “egregious” regional actions and disruptions to international shipping, while voicing support for UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
The consensus among the objecting powers is that granting Iran a procedural leadership role while it remains in non-compliance with its NPT and safeguards obligations undermines the treaty’s integrity and the conference’s credibility. The NPT Review Conference continues, with these interventions underscoring deep divisions over Iran’s nuclear activities.