A perturbation method is used to calculate the change of the total zero‐voltage current &Dgr;Ic(y0) flowing through a one‐dimensional Josephson tunnel junction due to a focused laser beam irradiated aty0. Nonlocal response of the phase difference function &fgr; as well as the local response of the  amplitudeJto the laser beam are included. In the junction configuration we considered, it is found that the nonlocal effect can, depending upon the external magnetic field, make the spatial dependences of &Dgr;Ic(y0) and the current distribution different.