United Nations, April 23 (RHC)-- The United Nations has warned the world’s nuclear states over their failure to make headway on disarmament. "We have a stalling on the path to a nuclear-free world," said Angela Kane, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs at a meeting organized by the International Peace Institute at UN headquarters in the United States on Wednesday.

Kane made the remarks as the 190 signatories to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are set to hold a month-long conference at the UN beginning next week. She told reporters: "The nuclear-weapons states are not living up to their side of the bargain," adding: "Right now, the non-nuclear states need to be given the sense that they are taken seriously."

The upcoming conference aims at prioritizing a disarmament agenda for the next five years, crucial to the NPT to retain its “credibility,” according to Kane. She also hailed a framework agreement reached earlier between Iran and the P5+1 group - the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, China, and Germany.

The UN official said the understanding could "give pause" to the the Israeli regime and the nuclear threshold states of Pakistan and India that have not joined the NPT.

Iran and the P5+1 group reached a landmark understanding over Tehran’s nuclear program in Switzerland on April 2nd. The two sides are now working to draft a final accord by the end of June.