Nine countries with confirmed nuclear weapons include:
USA, Russia, China, France, UK, India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea.
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and supporting medical and scientific advancements. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied any ambitions to develop nuclear weapons, emphasizing their commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which Iran signed in 1968 and ratified in 1970. According to Iranian leaders, their nuclear activities—including uranium enrichment—are meant to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and to create a sustainable energy future.
Despite these assertions, Iran’s nuclear program has drawn significant suspicion from Western nations, especially the United States and Israel. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has conducted numerous inspections, at times finding discrepancies and lack of transparency, which fueled accusations of covert weapons development.
The deal placed limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 escalated tensions and led Iran to scale back its commitments.
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Nine Countries With Nuclear Weapons: A Global Overview
Stockholm: The latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) confirms that nine countries either openly possess or are widely believed to possess nuclear weapons. These include the five original nuclear weapons states recognized under international law, along with four others that have developed nuclear capabilities over time.
The Original Nuclear Powers: The P5 Nations
The first five countries to develop nuclear weapons are known as the P5 — the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. These nations are:
- The United States
- Russia
- China
- France
- The United Kingdom
These five states are also the only ones officially recognized as nuclear-armed under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which came into force in 1970. Under the treaty, non-nuclear weapon states agreed not to pursue nuclear arms, while the nuclear weapon states pledged to work toward disarmament and to share peaceful nuclear technology under strict international oversight.
The NPT and Its Global Significance
The NPT has been a cornerstone of nuclear arms control for decades. It is based on three pillars:
- Non-proliferation: Preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to additional countries.
- Disarmament: Committing nuclear powers to reduce and ultimately eliminate their arsenals.
- Peaceful use of nuclear energy: Promoting the responsible development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
All P5 nations are signatories to the NPT and have reiterated their commitment to pursuing nuclear disarmament through diplomatic and technical means. However, critics argue that progress toward disarmament has been slow and uneven.
India and Pakistan: South Asian Nuclear Rivals
India and Pakistan aren’t NPT signatories. Their nuclear programs have been a source of regional and global concern for decades.
- India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974, in what it described as a “peaceful nuclear explosion.” It conducted further tests in 1998, which marked its transition into a declared nuclear power.
- Pakistan, reacting to India’s nuclear developments, carried out its own series of nuclear tests just weeks after India’s in 1998. Both countries have since maintained and expanded their nuclear arsenals.
Tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly over the disputed Kashmir region, have raised fears of potential nuclear conflict in South Asia. Both nations continue to invest in modernizing their nuclear delivery systems, including land-based missiles and air-launched weapons.
Israel: A Policy of Ambiguity
Israel has never officially confirmed the existence of its nuclear arsenal. Israel maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying its capabilities. The country has not signed the NPT, and international analysts believe that its nuclear program was developed with assistance from Western countries during the Cold War.
Israel’s undeclared nuclear status continues to be a contentious issue in the Middle East, particularly in the context of ongoing regional rivalries and concerns about nuclear proliferation.
North Korea: Withdrawal and Provocation
North Korea joined the NPT in 1985 but announced its withdrawal in 2003, citing perceived threats and hostility from the United States. Since then, Pyongyang has openly pursued a nuclear weapons program and has conducted a series of nuclear tests, beginning in 2006.
Its missile program has advanced significantly, and it now claims to have the capability to strike targets across Asia and even the U.S. mainland. Diplomatic efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula have stalled in recent years, raising tensions globally.
Iran: A Question of Intent
While not among the nine nuclear-armed states, Iran continues to be a central focus of international nuclear diplomacy. Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at energy production and scientific research.
However, Iran’s enrichment of uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade—up to 60% purity—has alarmed Western nations. Weapons-grade uranium is typically enriched to 90% or more. Though Iran has not yet built a nuclear weapon, some analysts argue it is closer than ever before.
It placed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the U.S. withdrew from the deal in 2018, and Iran has since reduced its compliance.
Current Global Nuclear Stockpile Estimates
According to SIPRI’s latest assessment as of January this year, the estimated stockpiles of military nuclear warheads for each nuclear-armed country are as follows:
- Russia: 4,309 warheads
- United States: 3,700 warheads
- China: 600 warheads
- France: 290 warheads
- United Kingdom: 225 warheads
- India: 180 warheads
- Pakistan: 170 warheads
- Israel: 90 warheads
- North Korea: 50 warheads
These figures reflect both deployed warheads and those held in reserve or awaiting dismantlement. While the Cold War saw significantly higher totals, current trends point toward modernization rather than disarmament.