Statement from the U.S. Department of State [Screenshot from the U.S. Department of State homepage]

The U.S. Department of State expressed regret over the failure to adopt a final document at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, pointing to Iran's non-compliance with its obligations.

In a statement issued on the 24th (local time), the U.S. Department of State, through spokesperson Tomi Pichette, stated, "We regret that NPT member states were unable to reach agreement on a final document as a result of the 2026 Review Conference."

The U.S. Department of State emphasized, "The failure to reach an agreement is even more disappointing given Iran's continued non-compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and its expansion of nuclear activities without credible civilian justification."

It added, "For the NPT Review Conference to fulfill its original purpose, member states must not overlook Iran's non-compliance. Violating states should not be allowed to undermine the implementation and accountability mechanisms that are central to the NPT."

The U.S. Department of State further stated that it would address the issue of some member states not taking Iran's threats to international non-proliferation seriously through ongoing consultations.

The United States also reiterated its firm commitment to the NPT, as well as its three principles: disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

This statement appears to be an effort to highlight Iran's non-cooperation on non-proliferation ahead of the potential end-of-war agreement with Iran, thereby pressuring the international community to cooperate with the NPT regime. The State Department's statement did not include any mention of North Korea.

NPT member states had planned to adopt a joint document to strengthen the NPT regime upon concluding their review conference on the 22nd, but the agreement failed amidst disagreements concerning the nuclear issues of North Korea and Iran. The failure was also influenced by the backlash from nuclear-weapon states regarding the concretization of disarmament obligations.

During the process of refining the draft agreement, any mention of North Korea's nuclear program or denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was deleted, leading to expressions of regret from Kim Sang-jin, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.