TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s parliament may consider withdrawing the country from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in response to a resolution by the U.N. nuclear watchdog censuring Tehran over its nuclear program, a hardline lawmaker said Saturday.
Mohammad Karamirad, a senior lawmaker, said parliament may also consider blocking inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Tehran has allowed such inspections so far.
The threats come a day after the board of the U.N. nuclear agency passed a resolution demanding Tehran immediately stop building its newly revealed nuclear facility near the holy city of Qom and freeze uranium enrichment.
Karamirad does not speak for the government but his statements reflect hardline thinking that the government usually pursues.
Iranian lawmakers threatened to pull the country out of the nonproliferation treaty in 2006, during another time of increased pressure by the U.N. over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran backed down, and the government has said in the past that it has no intention of withdrawing from the treaty.
“The parliament, in its first reaction to this illegal and politically-motivated resolution, can consider the issue of withdrawing from NPT,” Karamirad was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency, referring to the treaty.
“The parliament … (also) can block the entry of IAEA inspectors to the country,” he said… >>>
