Powerful Iranian Clerical Body Declares Exiting Nuclear Treaty A 'National Demand'

Iran is continuing to signal that it could at any point formally withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). If so this would certainly trigger alarm in the West, and might result in Israel launching a swift attack to 'prevent' the Islamic Republic from obtaining nukes.

Iran's Assembly of Experts - which is the nation's top clerical and advisory body connected to the Supreme Leader - has stated that withdrawing from the international treaty on nuclear weapons has become "an unavoidable necessity" and "a public and national demand," according to national broadcaster IRIB.

Assembly of Experts, file image. via Washington Insititue for Near East Policy

"In a statement issued on Thursday, the clerical body said the enemy’s repeated threats, particularly against Iran’s nuclear knowledge, showed there was no hope in the international bodies responsible for the issue," Al Jazeera writes of the statement.

"It said revising Iran’s defence doctrine, withdrawing from the NPT and creating the necessary deterrence had become a public and national demand, and expressed hope that officials would address it under the Supreme Leader’s guidance," the report adds.

"The assembly stopped short of directly calling for withdrawal, framing the issue as one that should be examined," Al Jazeera continues. 

The Assembly of Experts statement further notes tha