U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities pushes non-proliferation treaty a step closer to oblivion

Key Points:

• The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 was intended as a temporary agreement balancing nonproliferation with disarmament and peaceful nuclear technology access, but over 50 years later, its foundational bargain is eroding, especially in the Global South.
• Non-nuclear states have largely upheld their commitments, while the original nuclear powers continue to modernize and expand arsenals, undermining trust and prompting some non-nuclear states like Japan and South Korea to consider developing nuclear weapons.
• The U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under the Trump administration weakened the treaty’s verification mechanisms, allowing Iran to increase uranium enrichment and fueling geopolitical tensions and mistrust.
• The treaty’s Article IV, guaranteeing the right to peaceful nuclear energy, is inconsistently applied, with enrichment capabilities supported for some countries but restricted for others like Iran, reflecting geopolitical biases rather than neutral legal interpretations.
• To restore the NPT’s legitimacy, there must be renewed commitment to disarmament under Article VI, equitable access to peaceful nuclear technology, and diplomacy-focused nonproliferation efforts, reversing the current trend of nuclear weapons modernization and geopolitical coercion.