Middle East nuclear weapon free zone

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The Middle East nuclear weapon free zone (MENWFZ) is a proposed agreement similar to other nuclear-weapon-free zones. Steps towards the establishment of such a zone began in the 1960s led to a joint declaration by Egypt and Iran in 1974 which resulted in a General Assembly resolution (broadened in 1990 through the Mubarak Initiative to cover all weapons of mass destruction).^[1] Following the 1995 NPT Review Conference, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held a series of meetings involving experts and academics to consider ways to advance this process.^[2]

Such a zone would strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), would help to promote global nuclear disarmament, and would also help the Middle East peace as substantial confidence-building measures.^[3] As of 2014, three countries in the Middle East have been found in non-compliance with their IAEA safeguards obligations under the NPT: Iraq, Iran and Syria. Of these cases, Syria remains unresolved.^[4]