THE United States and Iran clashed over Tehran’s nuclear programme as a review of the treaty meant to prevent the spread of atomic weapons got underway on Monday at the United Nations, a confrontation almost certain to be repeated during the monthlong meeting. At issue was the election of Iran as one of 34 Vice Presidents of the conference, where 191 parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty are reviewing its implementation as they have done every five years since it took effect in 1970. Iran was a candidate of what has been dubbed the “nonaligned movement,” made up of 121 mainly developing countries.

 

Tensions over Tehran’s nuclear programme escalated ahead of the Iran war, with President Donald Trump vowing to ensure the country cannot build an atomic weapon. Iran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, but Tehran insists its programme is only for civilian purposes. The meeting began as Iran offered to reopen the Strait if Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade of Iranian shipping and ended the war, while delaying talks about the nuclear programme. Iran is a party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which requires the country to cooperate with the UN nuclear agency. But Iran has not given inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency access to nuclear sites that were bombed by the US last June.