Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it would abide by any law passed by parliament requiring the country to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signaling a potential escalation in Tehran’s standoff with Western powers.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the ministry has “no power” to oppose a parliamentary decision and would act in full accordance with such a law if enacted. His comments come as Iran faces the looming reimposition of United Nations sanctions after the European E3 countries (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) activated the ‘snapback’ mechanism under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The sanctions are set to take effect later this month unless an extension is approved by the UN Security Council.
Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the NPT in response to the snapback sanctions. On August 17, Iranian lawmaker and former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned that parliament had its “finger on the trigger” should the E3 proceed with the mechanism.
This comes amid heightened tensions following a 12-day conflict with Israel earlier this year and U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. In June, Iran’s parliament approved a bill suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), prompting inspectors to leave the country. However, inspectors returned last week after reportedly gaining approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which now oversees all such visits under the new laws.
This move drew criticism from several conservative lawmakers, including Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who described the inspectors’ return as a violation of the June legislation. Critics accuse the reformist government of President Massoud Pezeshkian of undermining parliamentary authority to maintain limited engagement with Western nations.
If parliament passes a bill mandating NPT withdrawal, it would severely restrict Pezeshkian’s government and effectively release Iran from its international non-proliferation obligations.