Iran asks why UK is replacing Trident

The Independent newspaper reports that Iran's foreign minister has questioned the UK's decision to replace Trident nuclear weapons.

The renewal of Trident, he argues, is a "total contravention" of Article VI of the international Non Proliferation Treaty, which commits nuclear-weapon states to "pursue negotiations" towards disarmament.

The story highlights one of the main dangers in replacing Trident - if the UK won't keep its NPT promise to disarm, why should non-nuclear states feel obliged to keep their promise not to develop their own nuclear weapons?

Replacing Trident undermines attempts to prevent the global spread of nuclear weapons because increasing numbers of non-nuclear states are becoming frustrated at the refusal of the nuclear-weapon states to keep their own promises.  Britain's decision to replace Trident couldn't send out a clearer message: we're going to remain a nuclear weapons power for the next forty years.

One of the reasons given for replacing Trident by politicians is the need to match nuclear weapons which Iran may build in the future.  Ironically, it looks like replacing Trident may be helping to push Iran towards building those very same weapons.