Story perspectives

UN Misses Third NPT Vote, Omits Iran, North Korea

5/24/2026

Summary

UN Fails NPT

United Nations in New York failed to adopt an NPT text on May 22, 2026, after Do Hung Viet refused to submit, marking third consecutive failure.
Richard Gowan said draft omitted references to Iran’s non-compliance and North Korea’s program, bracketed Tehran’s pledge not to develop nuclear weapons, ignored risks.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported nine nuclear-armed states held 12,241 warheads January 2025, 90 percent in U.S. and Russian arsenals.

Summary

US Blocks NPT

A US nonprofit monitor accused Washington of turning the NPT Review Conference into a platform for Iran talks.
Arms Control Association warned there are no agreed limits on Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals, the first gap since 1972.
Iran’s UN mission said the conference collapsed because of obstructionism by the United States and its allies.

Summary

Viet Stalls NPT

Do Hung Viet, president of the 11th NPT Review Conference, presented four revised draft documents to participants.
He said his goal was to make “everyone equally unhappy,” noting the NPT’s procedural framework has not been updated for about 26 years.
After four weeks of intensive engagement, the conference could not reach substantive agreement and will not submit a document for adoption, with Viet warning that stale procedures risk further stalemates.

Summary

Iran Barred

The final draft of the NPT Review Conference outcome only restated that Iran must never develop nuclear weapons.
Negotiations at the conference lasted four weeks before substantive work stalled.
The treaty, in force since 1970, was intended to review the historic non-proliferation agreement.
Alejandro Baños authored the report, which was published on 23 May 2026.

1 of 4

UN Fails NPT

United Nations in New York failed to adopt an NPT text on May 22, 2026, after Do Hung Viet refused to submit, marking third consecutive failure.
Richard Gowan said draft omitted references to Iran’s non-compliance and North Korea’s program, bracketed Tehran’s pledge not to develop nuclear weapons, ignored risks.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported nine nuclear-armed states held 12,241 warheads January 2025, 90 percent in U.S. and Russian arsenals.

1 / 4