US condemns Iran’s leadership role at UN nuclear conference as ‘beyond shameful’

The United States, joined by nan United Arab Emirates and backed by concerns from cardinal European powers, sharply condemned nan United Nations’ determination Monday to assistance Iran a activity station astatine a awesome atomic pact conference.

Iran’s action arsenic 1 of dozens of vice presidents astatine nan monthlong reappraisal convention for nan Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty reignited scrutiny complete what critics opportunity is simply a recurring shape of Iran gaining procedural legitimacy wrong world institutions contempt longstanding concerns complete its atomic conduct.

The conflict erupted arsenic nan 11th Review Conference of nan Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty opened astatine U.N. office successful New York, wherever Iran was selected arsenic 1 of 34 vice presidents done nan Non-Aligned Movement bloc. 

The convention includes 191 pact parties and convenes each 5 years to reappraisal implementation of nan pact aimed astatine preventing nan dispersed of atomic weapons.

IRAN SECURES UN ROLE WITH BACKING FROM UK, FRANCE, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AS US STANDS ALONE

U.S. Ambassador to nan United Nations Mike Waltz speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting, aft nan U.S. and Israel launched strikes connected Iran, astatine U.N. office successful New York City, Feb. 28, 2026. (Heather Khalifa/Reuters)

For nan administration, nan symbolism was contiguous and explosive.

"Rather than choosing to usage this reappraisal convention to take sides nan integrity of nan NPT and telephone Iran to account, we alternatively elite Iran a vice president," Christopher Yeaw, U.S. adjunct caput for arms control and nonproliferation, told delegates. "It is beyond shameful and an embarrassment to nan credibility of this conference."

The UAE and Australia publically backed nan American objection, while Britain, France and Germany besides expressed concern, marking a broader conjugation than successful earlier U.N. disputes wherever nan U.S. often stood mostly unsocial successful challenging Iran’s procedural elevation.

The negotiated uproar follows a shape antecedently highlighted by Fox News Digital. On April 13, nan United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a 54-member assemblage that plays a cardinal domiciled successful shaping U.N. argumentation and staffing cardinal committees, nominated nan Islamic Republic of Iran to nan U.N.’s Committee for Program and Coordination, which helps style argumentation connected human rights, women’s rights, disarmament and counterterrorism, pinch nan United States nan only state to formally object.

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Iran's Ambassador to nan United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, attends a United Nations Security Council gathering astatine U.N. office successful New York City connected Feb. 28, 2026, pursuing U.S. and Israeli strikes connected Iran. (Heather Khalifa/Reuters)

During Monday’s debate, Iranian envoy Reza Najafi rejected nan disapproval arsenic "baseless and politically motivated," accusing nan U.S. of hypocrisy and pointing to America’s atomic history while defending Tehran’s correct to serene atomic development. Russia besides defended Iran, pinch Ambassador-at-Large Andrey Belousov objecting to what he called nan politicization of nan conference.

The Iranian ngo to nan United Nations declined to remark to Fox News Digital.

U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told Fox News Digital that nan secretary-general "is not progressive successful immoderate measurement successful nan predetermination of Member States to activity roles successful various conferences aliases legislative bodies."

"Member States are responsible for electing different Member States, and they must beryllium accountable for nan results of these elections," Dujarric said.

He added that nan U.N.’s attraction remains connected nan broader atomic threat alternatively than nan procedural contention surrounding Iran’s appointment. 

"We powerfully promote each Member States participating successful nan Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to attraction connected what is astir important: stopping nan dispersed and threat of atomic weapons, which remains a world threat," he said.

Iran’s assignment comes amid heightened world interest complete Iran’s atomic trajectory. Western governments and nan International Atomic Energy Agency person raised alarms complete Iran’s enrichment of uranium to adjacent weapons-grade levels and disputes complete inspections, while Tehran insists its programme is strictly civilian.

Critics opportunity nan contention exposes a structural contradiction astatine nan bosom of nan U.N. system: geopolitical blocs tin elevate states nether scrutiny into positions of procedural authority, moreover astatine conferences dedicated to nan very norms those states are accused of violating.

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to delegates during a gathering connected Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty astatine U.N. office successful New York City, U.S., April 27, 2026. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

The past NPT reappraisal convention successful 2022 grounded to nutrient a statement archive aft Russia blocked nan agreement, underscoring really awesome powerfulness divisions person progressively paralyzed nan treaty’s reappraisal process, according to The Associated Press. 

Hillel Neuer, executive head of UN Watch, told Fox News Digital nan ballot reflects what he described arsenic a broader erosion of organization credibility astatine nan United Nations.

"This is portion of a disturbing trend," Neuer said. "Iran has been accumulating elder roles crossed nan U.N. system, from quality authorities bodies to cardinal committees. Each assignment chips distant astatine nan credibility of world institutions, reinforcing nan cognition that governmental deal-making outweighs basal standards of conduct."

Reuters and nan Associated Press contributed to this report.