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(SeaPRwire) –   On Monday, the United States, joined by the United Arab Emirates and supported by misgivings from key European powers, issued a sharp condemnation of the United Nations’ decision to grant Iran a leadership post at a major nuclear treaty conference.

Iran’s selection as one of dozens of vice presidents for the month-long Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference has reignited scrutiny of what critics describe as a recurring pattern of Iran gaining procedural legitimacy within international institutions, despite longstanding concerns over its nuclear activities.

The clash broke out as the 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty kicked off at UN headquarters in New York, where Iran was named one of 34 vice presidents via the Non-Aligned Movement bloc.

The conference brings together 191 parties to the treaty and is held every five years to review implementation of the pact, which is designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

For the U.S. administration, the symbolic impact of the move was immediate and incendiary.

“Rather than choosing to use this review conference to defend the integrity of the NPT and call Iran to account, we instead elect Iran a vice president,” Christopher Yeaw, U.S. assistant secretary for arms control and nonproliferation, told delegates. “It is beyond shameful and an embarrassment to the credibility of this conference.”

The UAE and Australia publicly backed the U.S. objection, while Britain, France and Germany also voiced their concerns, forming a broader coalition than in earlier UN disputes, where the U.S. had often stood largely alone in challenging Iran’s procedural elevation.

This diplomatic uproar follows a pattern previously highlighted by Digital. On April 13, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — a 54-member body that plays a central role in shaping UN policy and staffing key committees — nominated the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN’s Committee for Program and Coordination, which helps develop policy on human rights, women’s rights, disarmament and counterterrorism. At that time, the United States was the only country to raise a formal objection.

During Monday’s debate, Iranian envoy Reza Najafi rejected the criticism as “baseless and politically motivated,” accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy and pointing to America’s own nuclear history while defending Tehran’s right to peaceful nuclear development. Russia also defended Iran, with Ambassador-at-Large Andrey Belousov speaking out against what he called the politicization of the conference.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations declined to provide comment to Digital.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told Digital that the secretary-general “is not involved in any way in the election of Member States to leadership roles in various conferences or legislative bodies.”

“Member States are responsible for electing other Member States, and they must be accountable for the results of these elections,” Dujarric stated.

He added that the UN’s focus remains on addressing broader nuclear threats rather than the procedural controversy surrounding Iran’s appointment.

“We strongly encourage all Member States participating in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to focus on what is most important: stopping the spread and threat of nuclear weapons, which remains a global threat,” he said.

Iran’s appointment comes amid heightened international concern over the trajectory of Iran’s nuclear program. Western governments and the International Atomic Energy Agency have raised alarms over Iran’s enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels and ongoing disputes over inspection protocols, while Tehran insists its program is strictly for civilian use.

Critics say the controversy exposes a structural contradiction at the core of the UN system: geopolitical blocs can elevate states under scrutiny to positions of procedural authority, even at conferences dedicated to the very norms those states are accused of violating.

The last NPT review conference held in 2022 failed to produce a consensus document after Russia blocked the agreement, underscoring how divisions between major powers have increasingly paralyzed the treaty’s review process, according to The Associated Press.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, told Digital the vote reflects what he described as a broader erosion of institutional credibility at the United Nations.

“This is part of a disturbing trend,” Neuer said. “Iran has been accumulating senior roles across the UN system, from human rights bodies to key committees. Each appointment chips away at the credibility of international institutions, reinforcing the perception that political deal-making outweighs basic standards of conduct.”

Reuters and