Brief Context
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; Read More
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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