THE illicit trafficking in nuclear materials remains one of the greatest threats to world peace at present.

Even worse, the outbreak of a fully fledged nuclear world war will definitely signal the beginning of the end of our existence on Earth.

To give you insight in how lethal nuclear weapons are, I refer you to a statement by US President Barrack Obama at the recent UN Security Summit in Washington.

He said: "Just the smallest amount of plutonium about the size of an apple could kill and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people."

But as we prevent the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials the international community should also resolve the nuclear standoff between the US and several countries disgruntled with the double standards in dealing with several nations with nuclear weapons.

The US will be proposing harsher sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council because Iran reversed their retroactive nuclear policy and removed their suspension of uranium enrichment.

The US government believes that Iran has atomic ambitions and presents a danger to world peace.

But countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT,) such as India and Israel, do not suffer consequences remotely close to what Iran might face.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Taylip Erdogan said "until now, we haven't seen any request or intent from the international community with regards to Israel's (armament).

"Why haven't we addressed this issue?"

Tebogo Moatshe DitshegoKagiso