NATO warning on Iran's nuclear program: It poses a risk to the world
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that Iran possessing nuclear weapons would pose a serious threat to global security, stating, "Iran must not have nuclear weapon capability under any circumstances."
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Concluding his meeting with United States President Donald Trump in Washington, Rutte made important assessments regarding the NATO Summit and developments in defense spending in his statement to journalists. Ahead of the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara, the approach of alliance member countries toward defense was discussed.
Rutte expressed that there is a common view among NATO countries that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons. Using the phrase, "Iran must not have nuclear weapon capability under any circumstances," the Secretary General pointed out that a contrary situation could lead to consequences that would threaten the entire world.
Stating that Donald Trump maintains his commitment to his relationship with NATO and that the US expects Europe and Canada to increase their defense budgets, Rutte said that disagreements among members on this issue persist.
Referring specifically to Spain's statement that it could meet NATO's projected targets by increasing its defense spending to 2.2 percent of its gross domestic product, Rutte noted that this figure is still insufficient and that defense investments must be increased further. It was noted that these disagreements, which have reportedly been ongoing since last year, have still not been resolved.
Rutte's statements both brought the international community's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear activities back to the agenda and highlighted the tensions among allies within NATO regarding defense spending.