Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty under strain

IRAN’s threat to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) marks a grave moment for international stability. As Israel escalates its strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, Tehran’s retaliatory tone is hardening. Its parliament is said to be drafting legislation to quit the NPT. As the region teeters on the edge of instability, an NPT withdrawal would mean that Iran has decided to go ahead with its nuclear weapons programme. The timing is ominous. The NPT, signed in 1970, is a cornerstone of the global nuclear order. Iran’s status as a non-nuclear-weapon state within this treaty has long offered a framework for scrutiny, despite frequent violations and disagreements. An exit would free Iran from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections. Already, IAEA reports point to Iran enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.