Iran�s envoy to the international organizations in Vienna called for an end to the development and testing of nuclear weapons as the first step towards nuclear disarmament.

�Iran supports the objectives stipulated in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) with the ultimate goal of disarmament, as well as general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control,� Kazem Gharibabadi said in an address to the 55th Session of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in Vienna on Tuesday.

�We also strongly believe that stopping all explosive tests of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosions, as well as ending the quantitative development and qualitative improvement of these weapons, is the first necessary step towards nuclear disarmament,� he added.

The Iranian envoy also censured Washington�s approach on the non-proliferation regime and expressed concern over the possibility of the US conducting nuclear test explosions, saying the move undermines international peace and security.

Gharibabadi stressed that a possible resumption of the tests would breach a treaty on the moratorium on such practices, and also violates the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, Press TV reported.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the ambassador touched on Saudi Arabia�s nuclear program and called on the kingdom to join the NPT.