Clerics say Iran should consider withdrawal from nuclear treaty
Iran's Assembly of Experts said Thursday that reviewing a possible withdrawal from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and Iran’s military doctrine was an “unavoidable necessity" given recent repeated threats against the country, state TV reported.
The assembly is a clerical body responsible for appointing, removing and overseeing Iran’s supreme leader, who would have the final say over a decision by the National Security Council on whether to withdraw from the treaty.
The head of the council, Mohsen Rezaei, said last week that no decision had been made on whether to change Iran’s nuclear doctrine, though he acknowledged some Iranians had questioned whether it should change if the country again comes under attack.
The statement added to growing calls within Iran’s political establishment to reconsider the country’s longstanding nuclear policies.
Tensions over its nuclear program have risen amid the war with the U.S. and Israel. Iran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, but insists its program is only for civilian purposes. It says nuclear weapons have no place in its military doctrine and the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared them forbidden under Islam.
Source: Associated Press
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