Middle East conflict: What is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and why does Iran want to exit it? Explained

Iran’s parliament is considering a potential withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said, amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has now entered its second month. He emphasised that Tehran neither has pursued nor intends to pursue nuclear weapons.

Lawmakers had also discussed the option of exiting the NPT following the 12-day conflict last June, during which Israel and the United States targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities.

What is Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons?

The NPT is an international agreement aimed at stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology, encouraging collaboration in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and advancing the broader goal of nuclear and complete disarmament. The treaty was opened for signatures on 1 July 1968 and came into force on 5 March 1970.

It was negotiated between 1965 and 1968 by the 18 Nation Committee on Disarmament, a United Nations-backed body based in Geneva.

On 11 May 1995, after 25 years, member states agreed to extend it indefinitely. Under the treaty, nuclear-weapon states are defined as those that developed and tested a nuclear device before 1967, namely the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China.

However, four nuclear-armed countries—India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea — are not part of the NPT framework. Among them, India, Pakistan, Israel, and South Sudan have never signed the treaty, while North Korea had previously joined but pulled out of it in 2003.

India has consistently justified its decision not to sign the NPT by calling the treaty “discriminatory, unequal and flawed,” arguing that it permits countries that already possessed nuclear weapons by a certain date to retain them while prohibiting others from acquiring such capabilities, according to Al Jazeera.

In India’s view, the NPT reportedly splits the world into “nuclear haves and have-nots,” noting that it does not require the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom to give up their nuclear arsenals.

The NPT is made up of a preamble and 11 articles. While it does not explicitly refer to “pillars", it is commonly understood as being built around three core principles: preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting disarmament, and ensuring the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

These three elements are closely connected and support one another. A strong non-proliferation system, in which countries meet their commitments, creates a vital basis for advancing disarmament and enables increased cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Why does Iran want to exit NPT?

Iran is considering exiting the NPT as a strategic response to intense military pressure, including strikes on its nuclear sites by Israel and the US. Baghaei said that Tehran remains committed to the NPT as long as it is a member, but questioned the treaty’s effectiveness, arguing that Iran is being attacked while its rights under the agreement are not being upheld, according to Reuters.

Baghei stated, "What is the benefit of joining a treaty in which bullying parties at the international level not only do not allow us to benefit from its rights but also attack our nuclear facilities?"

(With inputs from Reuters)