TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Amir Saied Iravani, has said that the Israeli regime is threatening countries in the West Asia region with "nuclear annihilation", warning the regime’s nuclear arsenal poses a significant threat to both regional and global peace and security.

Iravani made the comment on Wednesday as he was addressing the UN General Assembly on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

The following is the full text of his speech at the UN meeting:

Allow me to begin by thanking you for convening this meeting. I would also like to join other delegates in commending Kazakhstan for taking the initiative to promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

Indeed, observance of this day is the commemoration of the victims of nuclear tests- the peoples who suffered, is suffering and will continue to suffer due to the enduring effects of radioactive fallout; the peoples most of whom were not the citizens of countries that conducted the nuclear tests.

Celebrating this day also signifies the international community's commitment to protecting the environment from the destructive effects of nuclear tests, many of which have occurred beyond the borders of the countries that conducted them.

Similarly, recognizing this day as an international event reflects the longstanding commitment of the international community to ending nuclear weapon tests, which is essential for achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.

In commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, Nuclear-Weapon States (NWSs) should be mainly addressed, as they possess the capability to conduct such tests, with approximately 2,000 tests carried out since 1945, including 1,054 by the US alone.

At a time when all nuclear-armed states are planning to modernize, upgrade, or extend the life of their nuclear weapons and facilities, as well as develop new easy-to-use nuclear weapons, ending nuclear weapon testing is of outmost importance.

To that end, Nuclear-Weapon States have the primary responsibility. They need to adopt practical measures to stop all kinds of nuclear weapon tests. In 2000 NPT Review Conference the Nuclear Weapon States committed themselves to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay as one of the 13 practical steps in implementing the Article VI of the NPT.

Nuclear-Weapon States (NWSs) hold the primary responsibility for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and should take the lead in this effort. The ratification of the CTBT by NWSs would be a significant step toward rebuilding the confidence of Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWSs) and the international community.

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.

Commemoration of this day is also an opportunity for international community to make Israeli regime promptly accede to the NPT without any precondition and to place all of its nuclear facilities under the full-scope IAEA safeguards. The current situation is alarming, as the Israeli regime is threatening other regional countries with nuclear annihilation, and its nuclear arsenal poses a significant threat to both regional and global peace and security.

By observing this day, we should also renew our commitment to the noble goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons- the only absolute guarantee against the threat or use of these inhumane weapons.

As a signatory to the CTBT, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers this treaty a step toward nuclear disarmament, and in this context, believes it cannot substitute for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Consequently, nuclear disarmament must remain a top priority for the international community, and all forms of nuclear testing must be unequivocally prohibited. Such tests contradict both the letter and spirit of the CTBT and, more importantly, violate the legal obligations of the Nuclear-Weapon States under Article VI of the NPT.