Iran parliament has taken initial steps toward withdrawing the country from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT, one of the world’s most critical international agreements on nuclear weapons.
The move comes in response to the reactivation of United Nations sanctions over the weekend, which followed Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier in June.
Ebrahim Resaei, spokesman for the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, confirmed on Monday that lawmakers had already drafted legislation that would pave the way for Iran’s exit from the treaty.
“Under these circumstances, the parliament sees no reason for Iran to remain an NPT member,” Resaei said, underscoring a growing sense of defiance among hardliners who dominate the chamber.
Although the draft bill has not yet been formally included on the parliamentary agenda, the development highlights the escalating divide between Iran’s legislative body and the executive arm led by President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Under Iran’s constitution, any such withdrawal would also require the approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority over major national security and foreign policy matters.
The renewed sanctions, reinstated after Germany, France, and Britain accused Iran of enriching uranium beyond civilian levels, have hardened the positions of parliamentarians who believe diplomatic engagement with the West has yielded little.
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Hardline lawmakers argue that Iran has nothing to gain from remaining bound by the NPT while facing what they see as hostile actions, including the June strikes and the latest economic penalties.
Critics of President Pezeshkian have gone further, accusing him of weakness in the face of Western pressure. Some hardliners have openly demanded his resignation, insisting that negotiations have only emboldened Iran’s adversaries.
For them, abandoning the NPT represents not just a rebuke of Western powers but also a show of national sovereignty.
Yet, the government continues to favor diplomacy. Both Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have made it clear they oppose withdrawal from the NPT, stressing that Iran remains committed to resolving tensions through dialogue.
They argue that quitting the treaty would isolate Iran further and feed international suspicions that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons—an allegation Iran has consistently denied.
The debate is a stark reminder of Iran’s fragile balancing act: seeking relief from sanctions while maintaining its nuclear program within the boundaries of international law.
The NPT, which prohibits non-nuclear states from acquiring weapons, has long been a cornerstone of that framework.
However, with sanctions back in force and trust between Tehran and Western capitals at its lowest in years, the treaty’s future role in Iran is increasingly uncertain.
Whether the draft legislation advances or stalls will hinge not just on parliamentary momentum but also on Khamenei’s stance.
His decision could determine whether Iran deepens its confrontation with the West or leaves the door open for renewed diplomacy.
For now, the prospect of Iran’s withdrawal from the NPT underscores the growing volatility of global nuclear politics and the escalating costs of mistrust between Tehran and its adversaries.
NAN
