Iran Warns against Curtailment of NPT

A prominent Iranian MP warned here on Wednesday that if some of the rights stipulated in the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are excluded, then Iranian parliament would not approve Iran’s membership in such a pact. The remarks followed recent debates in the Preparatory Committee of the 2010 NPT Review Conference about the working agenda of the next conference, where the US and its allies sought to exclude Article 4 of the Treaty, which entitles world countries to access and use of nuclear technology.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) here in Tehran today, Chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaoddin Boroujerdi pointed to the NPT Review Conference and said, “Americans sought to change Article 4 of the treaty which entitles countries to acquire this technology. And Americans intend to pursue the topic in the next conference.”

Asked why Iran has agreed with the working agenda of the next NPT Review conference while it considers annulment of the member states’ right of withdrawal from the treaty, the legislator said, “In case the (new draft) articles of association of the NPT annuls the member states’ right of withdrawal, I think it won’t receive the positive vote of the members and it won’t be approved.”

“We are a supporter of the NPT with all the rights and advantages stipulated in it and we have accepted the NPT on the basis of the same rights. If some of the NPT rights are excluded, then the treaty will lose its relevance and I don’t think that the Islamic Consultative Assembly gives a positive vote to such articles of association,” Boroujerdi continued.

Elsewhere, in response to a question whether rejection of the Swiss plan by Iran has impeded the next round of talks between Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, the lawmaker said the two sides are likely to agree on the date and venue of the next round of talks in the near future.

Meantime, he underlined that Iran has not rejected the Swiss proposal, adding, “All plans and proposals are not supposed to be approved with every detail they contain. As far as I know, Iranian officials are still studying the plan.”