Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told viewers on state television that the country could abandon the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons if the United States re‑engaged in hostilities, and warned that Iran would first assert its rights under the treaty before any nuclear talks.
Rezaei said the possibility of a future conflict would force Iran to question its continued membership in the NPT. He emphasized the importance of the 22 rights the treaty grants Iran, and that the U.S. must affirm those rights before any discussion of Iran’s nuclear program can take place.
At some point, they may want to start a war, and it is unclear whether we will remain in the NPT after any future war. But while we are a party to it, we have 22 rights,
Rezaei added, "Then we will also say: if you want to discuss the nuclear issue, we will demand our rights first. You must first recognize our rights," stressing that Iran’s sovereign rights should precede any negotiation.
The remarks were reported by TASS on the day of the broadcast. No additional corroborating or contradictory statements have appeared in the available sources.
