The world is on the brink of a nuclear arms race, with experts warning that once it starts, it will be unstoppable. The first country to initiate such a race risks severe consequences, including crippling sanctions and military strikes.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has expressed his deep concern about a nuclear arms race, saying that it will inevitably lead to a domino effect, with many countries following suit.
Grossi notes that the existing non-proliferation regime has failed to stop several countries from joining the nuclear club, but he calls it 'one of the last points of stability' in a dangerous world.
He attributes the failure of the regime to the strategy of nuclear bluffing employed by Iran, which boasted of having all the elements needed for a nuclear bomb while claiming no intention of building one.
Experts warn that a nuclear arms race will carry on like toppling dominoes, with unpredictable consequences. A European diplomat reports a cynical mood in European capitals, with officials agreeing that 'Ukraine would not have been attacked if it had nuclear weapons.'
As the world grapples with the threat of a nuclear arms race, experts call for a sophisticated analysis of different countries' incentives and a negotiated settlement to prevent further proliferation.
