Egypt urges for inclusion of all Middle East countries in NPT ‘without exception’

CAIRO – 14 September 2025: Egypt reiterated its steady support for the universalization of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), particularly in the Middle East.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, Egypt emphasized the importance of all countries in the region joining the treaty without exception and placing their nuclear facilities under the comprehensive safeguards agreements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Israel, the only country in the Middle East that has not joined the treaty, maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying possession of nuclear weapons, although widely believed to have a nuclear arsenal.

Egypt stressed that the universalization of the NPT in the Middle Eat would enhance transparency, prevent the application of double standards in addressing nuclear programs in the region, and help curb rising regional tensions.

The statement was released ahead of the 69th IAEA General Conference, set to take place in Vienna, Austria, from 15 to 19 September 2025. The ministry highlighted growing international attention to nuclear programs in the Middle East and the need to ensure their peaceful nature and full compliance with NPT obligations.

‘Middle East Free from Nukes’

Egypt reaffirmed the critical importance of freeing the Middle East from nuclear weapons, and expressed its continued commitment to pursuing this goal.

The ministry added that such move is fundamental to achieve regional and global security, prevent a destabilizing arms race that threatens peace and security of the region and the world, and advance the broader objective of a world free of nuclear weapons.

Egypt highlighted its historical leadership on the issue since the launch of the 1974 initiative at the United Nations to create a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. This, the statement noted, reflects a consistent and strategic commitment to shielding the peoples of the region from the dangers of nuclear proliferation.