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The UN Appoints Iran to Serve As a Vice President at Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  April 28, 2026 2:45 PM

The United Nations, in its infinite wisdom has appointed the Islamic Republic of Iran to serve as one of the 34 Vice Presidents of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference on Monday, which is set to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

The decision was made by a bloc of non-aligned and other states, typically composed of developing and non-nuclear countries.

The position, thankfully, is purely procedural and involves assisting the conference president in organizing sessions, facilitating consensus on agenda items, and representing regional or political groups. It does not grant Iran any veto power or substantive decision-making authority.

The U.S., UAE, Australia, and the E3 (UK, France, and Germany) criticized the global body for appointing Iran despite its failure to comply with the NPT. 

“We are deeply shocked that this body has chosen to allow Iran to assume any position of leadership at this review conference,” Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN said.

Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency argued that it is the United States that has not adhered to the NPT. 

“It is indefensible that the United States, as the only state ever to have used nuclear weapons, and the one that continues to expand and modernize its nuclear arsenal… seeks to position itself as an arbitrator of compliance,” Reza Najafi said. 

He pointed to U.S. and Israeli strikes carried out during Operation Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury, describing them as attacks on “peaceful nuclear facilities, facilities that are under the safeguard of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” and characterizing them as “a direct assault on the integrity of the global non-proliferation.”