After attack on its nuclear sites, what will Iran do? Will Middle East crisis deepen if Tehran moves of out NPT?

Amid intensifying hostilities with Israel, Iran on Monday announced that its Parliament is drafting legislation to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of nuclear weapons, raising global concerns about the future of nuclear stability in the region. The proposed move was announced alongside a statement from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who reiterated Tehran's stance that it has no plans to develop nuclear weapons. 

He underscored that Iran's nuclear activities remain focused on peaceful energy and research, aligning with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's long-standing religious edict against weapons of mass destruction. “The Islamic Republic of Iran remains opposed to the development of nuclear arms, but it will pursue its legitimate right to nuclear energy and research under international law,” Pezeshkian said. 

The NPT, a landmark international treaty that came into force in 1970, seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and facilitate nuclear disarmament. Iran's potential exit from the treaty would mark a significant escalation, further deepening global fears of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. 

This announcement follows three consecutive days of heavy missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, with no sign of a ceasefire. On Monday, Israel urged civilians living near key Iranian weapons sites to evacuate, signalling that further strikes were imminent. Israeli officials stated that "a long list of targets remains" and that operations would continue. 

Since the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal following the US withdrawal in 2018, Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities have expanded significantly. While Tehran insists its program is peaceful, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that Iran possesses sufficient enriched uranium to manufacture multiple nuclear warheads if it chooses to do so. 

In a separate development, Iran's judiciary on Monday announced the execution of Esmaeil Fekri, a man convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. He was charged with "corruption on Earth "and "moharebeh" (waging war against God), according to the Mizan Online news agency. The execution was carried out after the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. 

The recent escalation began Friday when Israel launched a surprise wave of strikes, which it said targeted Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. Since then, at least 224 people have been killed in Iran, including senior military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks that have killed at least 24 people in Israel. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI/AP)