Iran Press/America: Majid Takht Ravanchi on Monday, criticized the United States for putting in place plans to develop the use of nuclear weapons in an easy way, saying that ending explosions of nuclear weapons tests is very crucial.
He expressed regret the countries that possess nuclear weapons are the ones who are fanning the flames of an arms race, IRNA reported.
Takht Ravanchi continued: "It should also be noted that the environmental impacts of these tests occurred mostly outside the territory of the countries that carried out the atomic tests".
The INF was an arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union and its successor state, the Russian Federation. The US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signed the treaty on 8 December 1987. The United States Senate approved the treaty on 27 May 1988, and Reagan and Gorbachev ratified it on June 1, 1988.
The full text of Ravanchi's statement reads:
"I thank you for convening this meeting to commemorate the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.
I would also like to commend the efforts of Kazakhstan in proposing and promoting this initiative.
Observance of this international day continuously reminds us of the need for a complete ban on any and all types of nuclear explosions.
This day’s commemoration will be incomplete if we do not recall the fact that most of the nuclear tests’ victims have not been the citizens of countries that have undertaken nuclear tests.
We should also recall the destructive environmental effects of such tests, most of which have been carried out outside the territory of countries conducting them.
Commemorating this day also provides us with an opportunity to review progress made in achieving a universal ban on nuclear explosions and the broader objective of nuclear disarmament.
While we made certain progress in the past, unfortunately, currently there are two alarming races: new nuclear arms race and nuclear arms modernization race.
At a time when certain nuclear-weapon States have plans to develop new easy-to-use nuclear weapons, ending nuclear weapon test explosions is of utmost importance.
However, while nuclear-weapon States have the primary responsibility to that end, regrettably, some of them are responsible for the current situation.
The living example is the U.S. that, according to its latest NPR, not only, “will not seek ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty” but also “will resume nuclear explosive testing, … including underground nuclear explosive testing.”
This policy is in gross violation of its explicit legal obligations under the NPT and the unequivocal commitments it has assumed in Review Conferences of the Treaty.
Such irresponsible policies, the latest of which is the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty, are detrimental to all international efforts towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and therefore must come to an end.
Current situation testifies that, no matter how important the voluntary moratoria on nuclear tests are, they cannot substitute for a comprehensive universal and verifiable legally-binding prohibition on all types of nuclear explosions, including in alternative ways.
Through observing this day, we should also redouble our efforts in pursuing the noble objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons: the only absolute guarantee against the threat or use of these inhumane weapons.
This is essential for the maintenance of peace and security, in particular in such a volatile region as the Middle East where the Israeli nuclear weapons continue to threaten the peace and security of the region and beyond.
Total elimination of these inhumane weapons is what we owe to ourselves, to our children, to generations to come and to entire humanity.
This is a moral imperative and an explicit responsibility. Let’s remain united, resolute and steadfast and fulfill this responsibility collectively and responsibly.
Iran stands ready to play its role in pursuing this noble objective."
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