October 9, 2023

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has recently warned that if Iran were to acquire a nuclear weapon or NW, the Kingdom would seek to do the same, prompting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to point out that Tehran has repeatedly said it does not have such plans.

Lavrov also added: "No one wants more nuclear countries to emerge in the world.”

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated: “If they [Iranians] get one, we have to get one,” the Crown Prince stated in an interview on September 20, 2023. It should be noted that the Saudi Royal also voiced apprehensions about “any country getting a nuclear weapon,” saying it would be a “bad move.” Incidentally, the Saudi leader initially made the same statement back in 2018.

Clearly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not happy if Tehran creates its national nuclear capabilities. . Iran has not produced any kind of NW at all. The same logic is seen in Iranian leaders’ view who are not happy that Israel has already created its own NW and its delivery systems.

The concern of many immediate or far away neighbors of Israel over such undeniable fact has been expressed many times, including by Russia, at various international fora, especially during debates on the issue of creating of the nuclear-free zone in the Middle East or NFZME.

A reminder: such positive idea has been officially put forward for the first time by Egypt and Iran. It was in 1974. Half a century ago.

Later on, several states have elaborated a cluster of principles of the future NFZME, and a group of international experts including myself have hammered out and published their respective individual NFZME draft treaty to be signed and ratified by all Middle and Near East nations plus all nine de jure and de facto NW states.

However, the proposal has not been implemented.

This goal that will undoubtedly consolidate the regional NPT regime and avoid any nuclearized chain reaction has not been attained due to just one reason: the USA and Israel has never wanted and still do not want this noble notion to be realized.

What is the adequate way to override such impasse?

Israel should – voluntarily and individually or in the frame of the future international NFZME treaty – agree to dismantle and destroy all its nuclear warheads and take a pledge not to recreate any kind of NW in the future.

This is the only option. The nation that has made nuclear weapons in this vast region first  – and it is Israel – must be the first nation who must proclaim its NFZ status first.

Naturally, Iran and Saudi Arabia and Iran should never seek to forge NW on their soil if Israel becomes a nuclear-free nation.

Something additionally has to be made: the USA must take up its pledge not to use its NW against all nations in the Middle and the Near East.

Such arrangements are very urgent right now, especially during current sharp and dramatic Palestinian-Israeli military confrontation.

I am sure that all these steps will be welcomed by many nations all over the world except proponents for NW proliferation.

Written by Vladimir P. Kozin