Statement Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sixty-Sixth Session of the Preparatory Commission Vienna – 15 June 2026   بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Mr. Chairperson, I take this opportunity to congratulate you on assuming for the Chairmanship of this meeting and express my delegation’s full support and cooperation. I also take note of the remarks by Dr. Floyd, the Executive Secretary and extend my sincere appreciation to the PTS for their work in preparing this session. My delegation associates itself with the statement of the Group of 77 and China and wishes to present its national position as follows. Mr. Chairman, Iran expresses its strong support to CTBT and believes that safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the CTBT demands renewed and unequivocal political commitment at the highest levels, strict adherence to its objectives and provisions, and tangible, time-bound measures to achieve its universalization and prompt entry into force. CTBT must be preserved and advanced in accordance with its main mandate as a genuine disarmament instrument, and must not be diminished or selectively interpreted as a mere non-proliferation instrument serving the strategic interests of certain Nuclear-Weapon States. The statements on the restoration of nuclear testing are a matter of serious concern. The order by the officials of a certain nuclear weapon state to resume nuclear testing makes an extremely dangerous precedent, undermining the long-standing global moratorium on nuclear test explosions, eroding the credibility of existing non-proliferation and disarmament instruments, including the NPT and the CTBT, and leading to the renewed cycle of nuclear testing with profound implications for international peace and security. My delegation reiterates its position that the Israeli regime, possessing hundreds of nuclear warheads, remains the primary obstacle to the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Iran also reemphasizes that the Nuclear-Weapon States bear the primary responsibility for the entry into force of the CTBT. We call upon these States to ratify the Treaty without further delay in order to realize its object and purpose. Mr. Chairman, On 28 February 2026, the United States and the Israeli regime started their second criminal aggression against my country in blatant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. Under the false pretext of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, they martyred our Supreme Leader, who was the only Muslim scholar in contemporary history that issued a fatwa categorically prohibiting WMDs including nuclear weapons. Mr. Chairman, We are closely following the reorganization of the IMS and IDC divisions and underscore that the reorganization must preserve, safeguard, and strengthen the integrity, continuity, and effectiveness of all capacity-building programs. My delegation requests the PTS to ensure full transparency throughout the process and to provide regular and comprehensive updates to Signatories States on the progress, implications, and outcomes of the reorganization. My delegation also remains concerned that developing Signatory States continue to be underrepresented in the PTS. This situation indicates a clear gap between developed and developing Signatory States. We firmly believe that equitable geographical representation is a key principle that must be fully promoted. Therefore, we request the PTS to take concrete and timely steps to address this issue. Mr. Chairman, To conclude, we repeat our principled position that any activity undertaken by the Commission and the PTS must strictly adhere to its mandate and purpose as defined by the resolution establishing the Preparatory Commission, as well as to the applicable rules of international law. The PTS must remain provisional in nature and must not act in a manner that implies or anticipates the implementation of the Treaty prior to its entry into force. Any such act risks undermining the long-term integrity of the CTBT and may create a de facto implementation environment that could reduce incentives for certain nuclear-weapon states to proceed with the ratification. We therefore stress the necessity of ensuring that all activities remain firmly within the scope of its established mandate. I thank you Mr. Chairman.