World Enters New Era as Nuclear Powers Build Up Arsenals, SIPRI Reports

 

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) announced that the global nuclear landscape is experiencing a significant shift, with nuclear-armed states expanding their arsenals and withdrawing from arms control agreements. This marks the end of decades of nuclear stockpile reductions that followed the Cold War.

As of January 2025, the total estimated number of nuclear warheads worldwide is approximately 12,241. Of these, about 9,614 are kept in military stockpiles capable of potential use, with around 2,100 warheads in a high operational alert, mostly belonging to the U.S. and Russia.

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SIPRI notes that the nine recognized nuclear states: United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel are increasing their stockpiles amid rising global tensions. The report highlights that the overall trend is moving away from arms reduction towards modernization and buildup.

Russia and the U.S. continue to hold the majority of nuclear warheads, with approximately 5,459 and 5,177 respectively, maintaining relatively stable numbers throughout 2024. Both nations are investing heavily in modernization programs that could lead to increases in their arsenals.

China's nuclear arsenal is expanding rapidly, adding about 100 new warheads annually since 2023. It is projected that by the end of the decade, China could possess as many intercontinental ballistic missiles as Russia and the U.S.

Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Monday that the country will continue to pursue its right to develop nuclear energy and research. According to him, Iran does not intend to develop nuclear weapons. He emphasized that Iran’s nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes and reiterated the stance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has issued a religious edict explicitly opposing the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.