Iran's conservative camp demands a new balance of terror
Elements in Iran's conservative camp, including lawmakers and clerics, are calling for withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and building a bomb, amid negotiations with the US and incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. The prevailing assessment is that Iran will not change its policy in practice due to its weakness.
Against the backdrop of some progress in negotiations between Iran and the US and minor incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, the internal discourse in Iran is intensifying. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi hinted last Saturday that Iran would not hesitate to target American interests in Europe. Alongside routine threats, voices from various directions are growing, calling for abandoning the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and breaking out to an initial nuclear capability. A parliament member from the conservative camp, Abolfazl Abutorabi, explicitly called last week for withdrawal from the treaty and immediate construction of a nuclear bomb. Foreign Affairs and Security Committee member Ebrahim Rezaei revealed that at least ten bills on the matter are on the committee's table. Cleric Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari also called for a review of the nuclear doctrine, and his remarks were quoted on state television. The prevailing assessment is that in its current state, Iran will not abandon the NPT due to military and economic weakness and domestic instability. It is unclear whether the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba, will adopt the cautious line of his predecessor.