Iran says may reconsider position on nuclear non-proliferation treaty

ISTANBUL

Iran said Wednesday that it may reconsider its position on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) after recent Israeli and US strikes on the country.

“It is too early to address these issues now, but the attack on our nuclear facilities will undoubtedly have profound repercussions on Iran's future course, and this is inevitable,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al-Arabi al-Jadeed, a London-based Arabic news website, in an interview.

The top diplomat said Tehran has sought to demonstrate to the world that it is committed to the NPT and working under the treaty.

“But unfortunately, this treaty has not been able to provide protection for us or our nuclear program. This is a point that must be taken into account,” he added.

Araghchi blamed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the current deadlock.

“We are dissatisfied with the style of the IAEA's reports, and we believe they are politically motivated. This is also a significant point,” he said.

“The question of how to protect our nuclear facilities in the future must also be considered. Why have 20 years of transparency and confidence-building efforts not yielded positive results? This issue will receive attention,” he asked.

“I imagine that our outlook on the nuclear program and the non-proliferation regime will undergo changes, the direction of which I cannot yet determine.”

Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran on June 13, including military and nuclear facilities, alleging that Tehran was on the verge of producing a nuclear bomb, a claim vehemently denied by Iran.

While Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, the US joined the conflict by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.

After 12 days of aerial combat between the two regional arch-foes, US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end their conflict.