In a development that could send shockwaves through global diplomacy and nuclear stability, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the Iranian Parliament is actively drafting a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—a landmark international accord aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
The announcement was first reported by Al Jazeera and confirmed by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson during a tense press briefing in Tehran. The move, if finalized, would mark a historic departure from one of the foundational agreements in global arms control—and one that Iran has been a signatory to since 1970.
“This draft bill is a direct response to the continued hostility and pressure campaigns against Iran, particularly by Western powers,” said the spokesperson. He accused the United States and Israel of “nuclear hypocrisy” and warned that Iran would no longer accept what it views as “unilateral obligations without reciprocal security guarantees.”
The timing of this announcement is no coincidence. It comes amid a dramatic spike in military tensions between Iran and Israel, including missile exchanges, drone strikes, and covert operations. Tehran appears to be using the NPT threat as both a bargaining chip and a warning shot to the international community.
Withdrawal from the NPT would remove key international constraints on Iran’s nuclear program, freeing it from mandatory inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and effectively ending global oversight of its uranium enrichment and nuclear research.
“This is a serious escalation,” warned a former UN nuclear inspector. “It doesn’t necessarily mean Iran will build a bomb, but it removes the last legal barriers to doing so. The world should pay attention.”
The draft bill is currently under review in the Iranian Parliament (Majlis), where hardline lawmakers have long pushed for nuclear independence and rejection of Western oversight. Many see the move as a form of “nuclear defiance,” aimed at countering what they call a decade of broken promises and failed diplomacy.
If passed, Iran would join North Korea as one of the only nations to formally exit the treaty. North Korea’s 2003 withdrawal ultimately led to the development of its own nuclear arsenal—raising fears that Iran could follow a similar trajectory.
International reactions have been swift and deeply concerned. The United States, European Union, and United Nations have all issued statements urging Iran to reconsider. China and Russia, traditionally more sympathetic to Tehran, are said to be privately urging restraint as well.
Israel, already on high alert due to recent Iranian missile attacks, responded harshly to the news. “This is a declaration of nuclear intent,” an Israeli official said. “We will not allow a nuclear-armed Iran—by diplomacy or by force.”
Meanwhile, Iranian media outlets have framed the possible withdrawal as a sovereign right and a long-overdue act of resistance against what they see as Western bullying and double standards. “Why should Iran comply with a treaty that its enemies violate in spirit every day?” asked one editorial in a state-affiliated newspaper.
Diplomats warn that if Iran formally leaves the NPT, it may trigger a domino effect—destabilizing the already fragile balance of power in the Middle East, and potentially sparking a regional arms race with countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey reconsidering their own nuclear options.
For now, the world watches and waits. The drafting of the bill may be a negotiating tactic—or it may be the prelude to a geopolitical earthquake.
One thing is certain: if Iran walks away from the NPT, it won’t just change its nuclear policy—it could change the global nuclear order.
