The Iranian parliament is preparing legislation that could lead to the country withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in response to the reinstatement of UN sanctions.

Ebrahim Resaei, the spokesman for parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said on Monday that the legislative body has settled on a draft legislative text.

The parliamentary move comes after Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and the reactivation of UN sanctions over the weekend.

“Under these circumstances, the parliament sees no reason for Iran to remain an NPT member,” Mr Resaei said.

But draft legislation is not yet on the parliament’s official agenda, he noted.

Under Iran’s constitution, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has the final authority on strategic matters.

His approval would be necessary for any withdrawal to proceed.

The parliament is dominated by hardliners who had sharply criticised President Masoud Pezeshkian’s diplomatic efforts with Western powers.

Mr. Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that they continued to seek a diplomatic resolution despite the reimposition of UN sanctions and opposed exiting the non-proliferation treaty.

Hardliners, however, doubt the effectiveness of further diplomacy, some accusing Mr Pezeshkian of failure and calling for his resignation.

Iran had previously threatened to leave the NPT, which barred non-nuclear-armed states from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The sanctions came back into force after Germany, France, and Britain accused Iran of enriching uranium beyond levels required for civilian purposes.

The three countries were signatories to the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

Iran denied seeking to build a nuclear bomb.

(dpa/NAN)