Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that Tehran was “reviewing” its membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), marking a significant escalation amid mounting uncertainties over the ongoing war in West Asia.
“Parliament has announced that it is reviewing the matter. The matter is also being discussed in public discourse. This is a big question, and the answer is not simple,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said Monday in televised remarks.
“The logical question that our public asks is: What is the benefit of being a member of a treaty whose dominant international parties do not allow us to enjoy the rights and privileges it provides.”
The NPT, which came into force in 1970, recognises only the five permanent members of the UNSC as being nuclear-armed states – which includes US, Russia, China, the UK, and France – while the other four nuclear countries including India, Pakistan, Israel, refused to sign the agreement, while North Korea rescinded its signature.
Iran, a signatory to the accord, agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons in exchange for access to civilian nuclear technology, and while it has for decades maintained a nuclear enrichment programme, it has insisted that its only for civilian purposes, as permitted under the NPT, though Israel has for decades accused the Islamic Republic of aiming to develop nukes, an accusation also levied by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
As such, both nations have justified the war as necessary, with Jerusalem deeming a nuclear armed Iran as an existential threat, while Washington deems it a major threat to the US’ interests in the region, and a security threat to US allies.
Trump has said recently that he will only agree to halt the war if Iran agrees to give up all enrichment, along with other terms, all of which Tehran has dismissed as excessive, one-sided, and unfair.
