Simply put, nuclear proliferation increases the risk of deliberate or accidental nuclear war because states are not completely rational actors, and accidents and organisational failures are real possibilities that could lead to nuclear exchanges. Because nuclear weapons threaten mutually assured destruction and thus discourage states from initiating any conflict that might lead to their deployment when high up the escalation ladder. Waltz’s most enduring example is the Cold War: That nuclear weapons reduced the likelihood of war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons has been unacceptable to both the US and Israel for years. For decades, Israel has used its military superiority to prevent countries like Iraq, Syria, and now Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons to preserve that nuclear monopoly.

Source: Indian Express March 13, 2026 13:44 UTC