‘We may reach a point where this discussion will be discussed in the future,’ Iran’s foreign minister says
Iran said Wednesday that it may “reach a point of discussion” regarding withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in the future.
“If someday the system decides to opt out of the NPT, it will do so,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the state news agency IRNA.
“While we are currently planning to stay at NPT, I will take this as an example and not think that this debate exists or does not exist. We may reach a point where this discussion will be discussed in the future.”
Tension escalated between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog following US and Israeli airstrikes on the country in June.
On June 25, Iran’s parliament passed legislation suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing the watchdog of bias toward Israel and the US during their recent assaults.
“We told the agency that new conditions had been created anyway, our facility was bombed and there was no precedent as to how the bombed facility should be dealt with,” Araghchi said.
“On the other hand, parliamentary law has requirements and has licensed the procedure through the Supreme National Security Council, so we must first reach a framework, or new cooperation arrangements.”
Iran was holding Oman-mediated nuclear negotiations with the US when Israel launched a surprise attack on Tehran on June 13, targeting military, nuclear, and civilian sites as well as senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, while the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
The 12-day conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
