Iranˈs envoy: Zionist regime only obstacle to nuclear-free Middle East

Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi warned the international community against the major threat posed by Zionist regimeˈs nuclear arsenals to global peace and security.

According to IRNA, Najafi made the remarks during third meeting of the preliminary committee of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York on Thursday.

Zionist regime has opposed the inclusion of holding a conference on the establishment of a Middle-East free of nuclear weapons in the final document of the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC) meeting held in New York earlier this year.

Najafi said, ˈThe plan for a nuclear-free Middle East was proposed by Iran in 1974 and the first special meeting of the General Assembly on disarmament emphasized the necessity for holding Iranˈs proposal and called for ushering in immediate measures for creating thatˈ.

He noted that the unanimous approval of a resolution in this regard in the UN General Assembly shows the effective and constant global approval from creation of this region.

Najafi said that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), General Conference of the IAEA and other regional and international organization also support Iranˈs proposal.

Iran, an NPT-signatory, has called for the removal of all weapons of mass destruction from across the globe.

The UN General Assembly approved a draft resolution proposed by Iran on nuclear disarmament in October 2009 amid strong opposition by the US, Britain, France, Israel and a number of western countries.

The resolution ratified in the first committee of the UN General Assembly calls on all nuclear countries to annihilate their nuclear weapons under the supervision of international bodies.

More than 100 countries, including non-nuclear members of the NAM, voted for the resolution.

The resolution also urges Israel to join the NPT and allow the IAEA to inspect its nuclear installations.