Iran faces internal divides over NPT membership and US diplomacy

Iran is facing internal political divisions regarding its membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States. Hardliners within the Iranian establishment are increasingly calling for withdrawal from the NPT, arguing that membership has failed to protect the country from international pressure, sanctions, and attacks on nuclear facilities. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, suggested that actions by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could push the country toward leaving the treaty.

In contrast, President Masoud Pezeshkian has maintained that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, stating that membership in the NPT is evidence of that stance. The debate has been intensified by the IAEA’s decision to refer Iran to the UN Security Council and a US-backed objection that prevented Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, from attending the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.

Simultaneously, recent discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoys in New York have sparked domestic controversy. While US officials described the meetings as constructive, some Iranian outlets, including the IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency, questioned whether the negotiators had the necessary authorization to engage in such talks. Iran has linked potential progress to demands including the end of US military actions, the release of frozen assets, and the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.