TEHRAN – The Iranian ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency has said that elimination of all nuclear weapons is the first priority of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Reza Najafi made the remarks while reading out a statement on behalf of the 120-member NAM on Friday, IRNA reported from New York.

Iran currently holds the rotating presidency of the non-aligned states.

The statement said that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) highlights the importance of nuclear disarmament as one of its important cornerstones.

The NPT is not just about non-proliferation, it said, adding the treaty also obliges nuclear states to take action for total abolition of nuclear weapons.

It also said use of nuclear weapons is a “crime against humanity” and a total elimination of such weapons is the only “firm guarantee for not using them”.

NAM states also expressed concern that NATO and nuclear armed states have drawn up their defense doctrines based on using nuclear weapons.

The statement also said that under any circumstances, nuclear armed states must not threaten non-nuclear ones with nuclear weapon till the time all nuclear weapons are annihilated.

It also supported holding a comprehensive international convention on elimination of nuclear weapons.

On behalf of NAM, Iran also presented 20 proposals concerning nuclear disarmament and total elimination of nuclear weapons and called for inclusion of the proposals in the final report of the NPT review conference already underway in New York.

NA/P