Why it matters:
This statement reinforces the Islamic Republic's foundational narrative that its nuclear program is not a matter of negotiation, but of national sovereignty and legal right.
The big picture:
By anchoring its position in Article 4 of the NPT and pointing to its 1970 membership, Tehran has effectively neutralized accusations of non-compliance being sued as political tools hegemonic powers to stop Iran's progress. Furthermore, by invoking its 1974 proposal for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone, Iran positions itself not as a regional outlier, but as a pioneer in the push for disarmament, has been challenging the double standards of nuclear-weapon states who seek to deny Iran what the law explicitly permits.
Zoom in:
- 1970: The year Iran joined the NPT.
- 1974: The year Iran proposed a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in West Asia.
- Article 4: The section of the NPT recognizing the "inalienable right" to peaceful nuclear energy.
On the grround:
Spokesman Esmail Baghaei’s comments are a direct response to "unilateral interpretations" by nuclear-weapon states, which are being used to cast suspicion on its program.
Baghaei reaffirmed that Iran's program remains under continuous IAEA monitoring per the Safeguards Agreement, pushing back against narratives of non-compliance while maintaining that political pressure will not alter its pursuit of peaceful nuclear technology.
Hossein Amiri - seyed mohammad kazemi
