Geneva: The Sultanate of Oman has emphasized the critical need for establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East as a crucial step towards achieving security and stability. It has highlighted that such a zone would offer significant political, geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian advantages not only to the Middle East but also to the international community.
Furthermore, Oman has underscored the importance of such a zone in fostering greater regional and global cooperation, building trust, and creating opportunities for investment in peaceful nuclear technology. This, in turn, would lead to a reduction in military expenditures and contribute to a more stable political environment.
Dr. Salim Issa Al Ma’ashani, Director of the Disarmament and Arms Control Affairs Office at the Foreign Ministry, made this statement during the Second Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The conference, scheduled to take place in Geneva from July 22 to August 2, 2024, at the United Nations premises, is aimed at reviewing the progress made since the last conference in 2015.
In light of this, Oman has urged all Depositary States and Sponsoring States of the 1995 resolution to fulfill their commitments.
"Oman is disappointed by the fact that two Depositary States (sponsors of the 1995 resolution) have hindered the 2015 conference in favor of Israel, thereby preventing the production of a final document. This behavior is a clear violation of the non-proliferation system, as Israel, being a non-party to the treaty, has an unclear and non-transparent nuclear program. It shows a blatant disregard for efforts to limit the use of weapons and represents a serious breach of the treaty's purposes and international law, which should be condemned by the international community," Al Ma’ashani stated.
Additionally, Oman has called on the international community to apply significant and immediate pressure on Israel to comply with Security Council Resolution No. 487 of 1981. This resolution mandates that Israel must submit its nuclear facilities to the Comprehensive Safeguards System of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) without any preconditions or negotiations and to join the NPT as a non-nuclear state. The resolution also outlines consequences for such reckless threats, Oman emphasized.
Oman has also urged the participants of the 2026 Review Conference and its Preparatory Committee to support the implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East and to achieve clear and concrete outcomes, acknowledging the advancements made in this area.
