New York:UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has raised concerns about the increasing threats posed by nuclear weapons, describing the current situation as the "most dangerous nuclear moment since the end of the Cold War." He emphasized that nuclear arsenals are expanding and being modernized, while technological advancements heighten the risk of mistakes and miscalculations.

According to Qatar News Agency, Guterres made these remarks during a plenary meeting on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in New York. The meeting aims to highlight the dangers of nuclear weapons and encourage global efforts to achieve a world free of them.

Guterres expressed alarm over the expiration of the New START Treaty earlier this year and the failure of the eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to reach a consensus. He warned that the safeguards established over decades to mitigate these dangers are deteriorating, describing the situation as a "one-way ticket to disaster."

The UN chief urged the United States and Russia to negotiate a new framework to replace the New START Treaty and called for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to be enacted. He emphasized the need to prevent future generations from living under the "nuclear shadow."

General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman also highlighted the growing global nuclear stockpile, which now exceeds 12,000 warheads. He pointed out the concerning fact that between 2,100 and 2,200 warheads are on high operational alert, capable of being launched at short notice. Rahman noted that for the first time since the Cold War, the nuclear stockpile is expected to grow, with new warheads entering service faster than old ones are dismantled. The expiration of the New START Treaty means there are currently no binding limits on strategic nuclear arsenals.