"If every other state in the [Middle East] region attempts to develop or demand the same capabilities that Iran has achieved through the [nuclear] agreement, then we will see a breakdown of the non-proliferation system," Kissinger said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday, Sputnik reported.

Under conditions of broader nuclear proliferation, "a premium will be put on preemptive actions by these countries," he said, referring to Iran’s neighbors.

Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany- also known as P5+1 or E3+3) on July 14 reached a conclusion over the text of a comprehensive 159-page deal on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

The deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), would terminate all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran after coming into force.