Iran’s Assembly of Experts Urges NPT Withdrawal and Defence Doctrine Review

Tehran: The Assembly of Experts for Leadership, the body that selects and oversees the Supreme Leader, has called in a statement for Iran to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to consider revising its defence doctrine.

The council said in its statement that withdrawing from the NPT, and changing the defence doctrine to build the military strength needed to deter the enemy, has now become an unavoidable necessity and a public and national demand.

Warning and new demands

The Assembly of Experts warned that if Iran is attacked again, the country’s armed forces will respond swiftly and effectively, and that this response will not be bound by any geographical limits.

The body also called for a War Economy Headquarters to be established, with the participation of various institutions and forces and under the supervision of the Office of the Supreme Leader. It further stressed the need to counter the enemy’s cultural onslaught.

Officials’ statements

In recent weeks several Iranian officials and members of parliament have called for a review of the country’s nuclear policy, while some have openly stated that Iran needs to acquire nuclear weapons.

Among them is Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, acting Friday prayer leader of Tehran, who on 28 November described a change in nuclear doctrine as a national demand. Ahmad Naderi, a member of the parliamentary presidium, had called for the building of an atomic bomb.

However, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said on 29 November that the government was considering a change in nuclear doctrine, but no formal decision had yet been taken.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei had stressed on 9 November that Tehran remained bound by the NPT’s restrictions and obligations.