C.K. Rajesh asked: What could be the global impact of nuclearisation of North Korea and Iran?

Reshmi Kazi replies: North Korea has pursued a clandestine nuclear weapons programme for a long time, thereby violating its commitment to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). North Korea’s nuclear ambitions have a significant bearing on the regional dynamics in the Korean Peninsula. Japan has already contemplated revisiting its nuclear option. It has also reopened the debate in Seoul over its own nuclear programme. North Korea’s nuclear pursuit can potentially unleash an arms race in the Northeast Asia region. With Tokyo and Seoul already considering the nuclear option, it will not be far before regional stability and Asian security balance is seriously destabilised.

The nuclearisation of Iran too will deal a major blow to the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the NPT, which is already at crossroads. The entire geopolitics in West Asia (or the Middle East) will be affected if Iran declares itself as a nuclear power. There will be a domino effect with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordon and Turkey following up the nuclear path. Israel has already threatened with military action in case the United States and the West are unable to roll back Iran’s nuclear programme. However, talks are on between Iran and the P5+1 to persuade Tehran to renounce its nuclear pursuit.

At the global level, the above developments will impede the process of nuclear disarmament.

Posted on July 08, 2014