Iranian lawmaker says MPs would vote unanimously to leave NPT if Leader approves

Former Iranian foreign minister and current lawmaker Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday night that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been turned into an instrument against Iran, despite Tehran's answers to questions about its nuclear activities. Speaking on national television, Mottaki said the agency had failed to fulfil the commitments expected of it.

Referring to growing calls inside Iran for withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Mottaki said Iran had been a member of the treaty for more than half a century but had so far benefited from only a limited portion of the advantages it provides. He said members of parliament receive around 200 text messages a day urging withdrawal from the NPT, adding that the demand is also being voiced by some members of the public.

Mottaki said he believed the time had come to consider leaving the treaty. He stressed, however, that the decision falls within the authority of the country's Commander-in-Chief, namely the Leader. His remarks follow repeated statements by Iranian officials criticising the IAEA's handling of Iran's nuclear file.

According to Mehr News, the lawmaker's comments reflect a broader debate within Iran over its continued membership of the NPT.