The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: What is it, which countries have signed it?

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was adopted 55 years ago. It is the responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify compliance by the countries participating in the treaty. A total of 190 States have joined the NPT. For more information about the NPT and its goals, as well as which countries have signed the document, see the Izvestia article.

What is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: the main provisions

The NPT is a multilateral international instrument designed to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technologies in the world.

The document was approved by the UN General Assembly on June 12, 1968 and opened for signature on July 1, 1968. It entered into force on March 5, 1970, after 40 States had submitted their ratifications.

The Treaty consists of a preamble and 11 articles, which set out the key obligations of the parties: States possessing nuclear weapons do not transfer them to third parties, and do not encourage or facilitate their production; non-nuclear-weapon States undertake not to acquire or create them. At the same time, all participants reserve the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, exchange equipment, materials, and scientific and technical information. At the same time, the IAEA is responsible for verifying the fulfillment of obligations.

The Zangger Committee (monitors the fulfillment by non-nuclear States of their obligations not to produce nuclear weapons) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (regulates the export of technologies, materials and equipment in the field of nuclear energy) were also established under the treaty.

Every five years, the NPT parties hold review conferences, during which they analyze the functioning of all the provisions of the NPT, as well as agree on a list of recommendations for strengthening the Treaty. The last, 10th, meeting was supposed to take place in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed to 2022. The next one is scheduled for 2026 and will be held in New York.

Reasons for the need for the NPT

The need to adopt a treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons arose due to the arms race between the United States and the USSR. Washington first tested an atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. The USSR did the same on August 29, 1949. The nuclear arms race has begun. On March 1, 1954, the United States went further and tested a thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb for the first time, the operation was called Castle Bravo. The explosion led to severe radioactive contamination and triggered the search for ways to limit nuclear testing.

Which countries have signed the NPT

To date, 191 States are parties to the NPT. It was opened for signature by the oldest members of the "nuclear club" — the USSR, the USA and Great Britain. The Treaty became universal in the 1990s, when two more nuclear powers, France and China, joined it.

Which countries have not signed the NPT

At the moment, four States have not signed the NPT.:

— Israel. The country's nuclear program dates back to the 1950s. In 1957, Israel joined the IAEA. Officially, the country has never confirmed or denied the presence of nuclear weapons, but according to estimates by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute, published in June 2025, the number of warheads could reach 90.;

— India. Nuclear weapons were first tested in 1974, and the country currently possesses at least 100 charges. It is important to note that India supports nuclear disarmament, but refuses to sign the NPT due to the fact that nuclear weapons, as stated there, are an integral part of the country's national security.;

— Pakistan. The nuclear weapons program was launched in 1972, and the first such self-developed charge was tested in 1998. The country is believed to have 150 warheads. Pakistan notes that after the first test in the region, a number of proposals were put forward to preserve South Asia from nuclear weapons and missiles.Among the measures proposed were the simultaneous application of IAEA safeguards and the signing of the NPT. However, none of the initiatives, according to the website of the country's Foreign Ministry, has found a positive response.;

— South Sudan. Sovereignty was officially proclaimed in 2011, but until 2020, the country was experiencing a terrible civil war. Although South Sudan has not signed the NPT at the moment, it does not rule out doing so in the future.

Which countries have withdrawn from the NPT

The only State that first joined and then officially announced its withdrawal from the NPT is North Korea. The country's nuclear program began in the 1950s, and in the early stages it was conducted with the support of the USSR. In the 1970s, the course was set towards the creation of nuclear weapons. In 1974, the DPRK became a member of the IAEA, and in 1985 it signed the NPT, but in 2003 it announced its withdrawal from the Treaty and the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

At the same time, the majority of the participating States continue to consider this withdrawal formally illegal and consider the DPRK as a participant. This is due to the fact that, in their opinion, the exit was issued incorrectly from a legal point of view. Because of this, the UN Secretariat also continues to consider the DPRK as a party to the NPT.

Iran's nuclear program

Iran currently remains a party to the NPT, but recently there have been more and more statements about withdrawing from the Treaty.

The history of the country's nuclear program begins in the 1950s. Since then, about 27 uranium enrichment facilities have been built in Iran, but some of them are reportedly undeclared.

In July 2025, the IAEA adopted a resolution according to which Iran is not fulfilling its obligations on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. They also express concern that Tehran cannot provide reliable information that nuclear materials are not being used for military purposes. Iran itself claims that the entire nuclear program has peaceful purposes.

Iran has repeatedly talked about withdrawing from the NPT, especially in response to tougher sanctions and criticism from Western countries. In June 2025, against the background of US strikes on the country's nuclear facilities, the majority of members of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy of the Mejlis (unicameral parliament — Ed.) of Iran called for withdrawal from the Treaty. According to the latest information, a corresponding plan is already being worked out there.