Iran's nuclear program takes focus as atomic treaty review starts

Key Points:

• The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations during the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference, with controversy arising over Iran's election as one of the 34 vice presidents of the conference.
• The U.S. criticized Iran for violating its treaty commitments by restricting International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors' access to nuclear sites and enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels, while Iran denied these allegations and accused the U.S. of hypocrisy and attacks on its nuclear facilities.
• Russia opposed singling out Iran and expressed hope to avoid politicization of the conference, while Iran's Foreign Minister met with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid ongoing tensions.
• The conference opened with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warning of rising nuclear warheads and renewed nuclear testing, urging countries to recommit to disarmament and nonproliferation in the face of new technological challenges.
• The NPT, effective since 1970, involves five original nuclear powers agreeing to eventual disarmament and non-nuclear states agreeing not to acquire nuclear weapons in exchange for peaceful nuclear energy rights.