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United Nations: The world is 'one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation'

The U.N. secretary general called on the nations of the world to "put humanity on a new path towards a world free of nuclear weapons," adding that, "we have been extraordinarily lucky so far."

August 1, 2022 5:32pm

Updated: August 1, 2022 5:58pm

Speaking at a conference of nations party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned of rising nuclear tensions and said the world was "one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation."

The U.N. secretary general then called on the nations of the world to "put humanity on a new path towards a world free of nuclear weapons," according to the Daily Mail. "We have been extraordinarily lucky so far. But luck is not a strategy. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict."

Guterres's remarks come amid two major concerns of impending nuclear conflict. Russia has repeatedly hinted at nuclear operations should western powers interfere in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine or expand NATO further into the Baltic region.

Moreover, Iran has continued its push to develop nuclear weapons despite the Biden administration pushing hard to restore the Join Comprehensive Plan of Action or to enter into a new agreement. The Tehran regime, over the weekend, suggested its nuclear arsenal could destroy American major cities, if Washington provokes Iran.

Specifically, Iran pointed to New York, the very city from which Guterres gave his speech encouraging non-proliferation.

"Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee they will never be used," he concluded.