Iranian Parliament Mulls Possible Exit from Nuclear Treaty

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• As per the Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Iran’s Parliament is reviewing a possible exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

About

• The proposed legislation, according to lawmakers, would:
  • Withdraw Iran from the NPT;
  • Remove legal commitments tied to the 2015 nuclear deal;
  • Support cooperation with other countries on civilian nuclear technology.

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

• Iran is a signatory to the NPT, which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while allowing peaceful nuclear activity under monitoring.
• It was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970, the NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.
  • It divides the world into nuclear-weapon states (NWS), recognized as possessing nuclear weapons at the time of the treaty’s signing, and non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS), which agree not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. 
  • The treaty also requires NWS to pursue disarmament negotiations in good faith.
• India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed the NPT.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) 2015

• Participants:
  • Iran
  • P5+1: Five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, UK, U.S.) plus Germany.
  • EU: Participated in negotiations.

Iran’s Commitments

• Nuclear Restrictions: Iran agreed not to produce highly enriched uranium or plutonium for nuclear weapons and to ensure its nuclear facilities focus on civilian purposes.
• Centrifuge Limits: Iran limited the number, type, and level of its centrifuges, and reduced its stockpile of enriched uranium.
  • Uranium enriched to 5% is for nuclear power; 20% for research or medical use; 90% for weapons.
• Monitoring and Verification: Iran agreed to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unfettered access to nuclear facilities, including undeclared sites.

What Other Signatories Agreed To:

• Sanctions Relief: The EU, UN, and U.S. agreed to lift nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, but U.S. sanctions on ballistic missiles, terrorism support, and human rights remained.
  • The U.S. lifted sanctions on oil exports but kept restrictions on financial transactions.
  • UN arms and missile bans on Iran were lifted after five years, provided the IAEA confirmed Iran’s nuclear activities remained civilian.
• Violation of the Deal: If any signatory suspects Iran is violating the deal, the UN Security Council can vote on whether to continue sanctions relief.
  • This “snapback” mechanism remains in effect for ten years, after which the UN sanctions are set to be permanently removed.
• Trump’s Withdrawal: In 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal, leading Iran to resume nuclear activities.
• Iran’s Nuclear Activity: In 2023, Iran enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, raising international concerns.
  • Key provisions of the JCPOA began to expire by late 2023.

Way Ahead

• Lawmakers in Iran have in the past raised the idea of leaving the treaty in response to external pressure. 
• The current conflict has brought the issue back to the centre of political discussion.
• There has been no official confirmation yet that Iran will exit the treaty, and the outcome will depend on internal approvals and the course of the conflict.

Source: TH