# The Iran war has lessons to teach us about nuclear weapons – but we risk learning the wrong ones
**Date de l'événement :** 23/03/2026
* Publié le 23/03/2026

### Image
![shutterstock_2217248205_qnjiq.jpg](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/memory-sp-pr.appspot.com/o/prod%2F1y7CgDOTakHDiB3dgoi0%2FprojectsMedias%2F0ijTkRbnBaVaJGdnHXK0%2Fthumbs%2Fshutterstock_2217248205_qnjiq_1600x900.png?alt=media&token=fecc6758-b40a-4912-b6c0-71ce19d7caeb) 

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**Nuclear “non-proliferation” – preventing the spread of nuclear weapons beyond states that already have them – has been held up as the rationale for the US-Israeli war on Iran.**  
  
In his statement announcing the start of the operation on February 28, Donald Trump said: “we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon.”  
  
This highlights two lessons about the problems with non-proliferation logic as an approach to dealing with nuclear weapons. First, non-proliferation can be exploited to provide political cover for otherwise unpopular military aggression. And second, non-proliferation logic risks undermining itself by driving target states to acquire nuclear weapons.  
  
Non-proliferation is globally popular. Currently, 190 states – including Iran – are party to the 1968 non-proliferation treaty (NPT). This enshrines into international law a regime to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.  
  
All non-nuclear armed member states agree to take part in the treaty’s monitoring and verification regime. This aims to ensure they do not divert civilian nuclear technology and activity, like the production of fuel for power plants or isotopes for medical settings, to military ends.  
  
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**Pour lire l'article complet, cliquez sur le lien ci-dessous :** [https://theconversation.com/the-iran-war-has-lessons-to-teach-us-about-nuclear-weapons-but-we-risk-learning-the-wrong-ones-278455](https://theconversation.com/the-iran-war-has-lessons-to-teach-us-about-nuclear-weapons-but-we-risk-learning-the-wrong-ones-278455)

## Auteur(s)
Tom Vaughan

### Date
23/03/2026

### Type(s) de ressource
`#Texte` 

### Thématique(s)
`#Guerre / conflits armés / paix` `#Diplomatie` `#Défense / sécurité` 

### Aire(s) géographique(s)
`#Moyen-Orient` 

### Langue(s)
`#Anglais` 

## Crédits photo
Saeediex / Shutterstock

**Licence attribuée à l'article :** `#CC-BY-ND (Attribution, Pas de modification)` 

### Famille(s) de contenu
`#Recherche` 

### Type(s) d'accès
`#Accès libre` 

### Partenaire(s)
**[The Conversation](https://sources.sciencespo.fr/structure/the-conversation_QdYqgYnzKVyePLgMp3g8)** 


### Hébergeur(s)
`#The Conversation` 

## Autres crédits
**Sujet de la photographie** : Tehran - October 5, 2022, Military Museum, Offensive Missiles of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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