Iranian MP Says NPT Withdrawal Option Is Under Consideration

Ebrahim Azizi, a senior member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said in an interview with Mehr News Agency that legislative proposals titled "Plan for Withdrawal from the NPT" have been drafted and submitted to both the commission and the Office of the Deputy for Legislation. The proposals are backed by the signatures of numerous MPs, he said. Azizi added that withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty requires effective measures and coordination with all pillars of the government, as well as a unified decision within the Islamic Establishment.

Azizi advised Iran's southern neighbors to recognize the need to align and coordinate with a powerful Iran. He identified regional developments, the future of the Resistance Front, equations surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear dossier, and the outlook for Iran-US relations as key issues that have drawn attention in recent months, each capable of impacting the region's security and political equations.

Turning to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Azizi said it was "a matter of regret" that the IAEA has for a long time been turned into a political club, straying from its technical and specialized mandate. He stated that the IAEA no longer fulfills the role of a technical and professional organization upon which it was founded, but has instead become an instrument for the dominance and projection of power by countries such as the United States. Iran has repeatedly warned that the IAEA must not be allowed to become a tool in the hands of hegemonic powers, he added. Under its Statute, the Agency is charged with vital and decisive responsibilities, duties it has regrettably failed to discharge over the years, Azizi emphasized.

On September 15, a group of Iranian lawmakers issued a statement calling for a review of Iran's membership in the NPT, saying the treaty has failed to protect Iran's nuclear facilities or deliver any of its promised benefits. The statement said the NPT is based on a reciprocal balance of commitment to non-proliferation and guaranteeing members' rights and security, but recent years and especially recent developments have proven that international structures based on the treaty have become completely ineffective, structurally discriminatory, and incapable of securing Iran's minimum legal rights.

According to Mehr News, Azizi's remarks come amid ongoing regional tensions and discussions about Iran's nuclear program and its relations with the IAEA and the United States.