‘Not tools of coercion’: UN urges restraint on nuclear threats amid Hiroshima commemoration

The U.N. warned against using nuclear weapons as "tools of coercion" on Wednesday (August 6), the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq read a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General at a press briefing at U.N. headquarters. "On this 80th anniversary, we remember those who perished. We stand with the families who carry their memory," the message said. "Today the risk of nuclear conflict is growing. And the very weapons that brought such devastation to Hiroshima and Nagasaki are once again being treated as tools of coercion." Haq himself went on to emphasize the importance of ensuring that nuclear weapons are never used again.