UN chief warns the world is just 'one misunderstanding' away from 'nuclear annihilation' as tensions rise across the globe

The UN Secretary-General warned that "humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear destruction."

Around the world, almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are held. At a conference in New York of countries that are party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the risks of proliferation are growing.

"After the end of the Cold War, there are a lot of crises happening around the world," the UN chief said.

"Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee they will never be used," said the UN Secretary General.

Concerns over rising tensions include the war in Ukraine, China and Taiwan, and Iran's nuclear program.

Some Western officials are concerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use nuclear weapons to achieve his goals in the war.

In February, when Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, Putin warned that any country that tried to intervene would face consequences. Shortly after Putin ordered the start of the special operation in Ukraine, Russia's nuclear deterrent forces were put on high alert.

There could be no winners in a nuclear war according to the Russian leader.

Putin said that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and that it should never be unleashed.

The Secretary of State ripped into Putin for his past.

"It's engaging in reckless, dangerous nuclear saber rattling, with its president warning that those supporting Ukraine self-defense 'risk consequences such as you have never seen in your entire history,'" said the deputy secretary of state.

Most of the world's nuclear weapons are held by the US and Russia.

The top US diplomat excoriated North Korea for its nuclear program and continued provocations. He said that North Korea is preparing for a nuclear test. Tehran is on a "path of nuclear escalation" as the Biden administration tries to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

Talks to restore the Iran nuclear deal are not going well. President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement with Iran in May of last year.

Iran has either been unwilling or unable to accept a deal to achieve precisely that goal, even though it publicly claims to favor return to mutual compliance with the JCPOA. The best outcome is to get back to the JCPOA.

Iran's atomic energy chief said on Monday that the country doesn't plan to build a nuclear bomb.