The Iranian Assembly of Experts issued an unprecedented statement calling for withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT):
Examining withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, revising the country's defense doctrine and creating the necessary deterrence has become an inevitable necessity and has become a public and national demand.
We hope that officials, under the wise guidance of the beloved supreme leader, will pay attention to this need.
Background: The Assembly of Experts is the highest Shiite religious body in Iran, with enormous influence in the Islamic Republic, including the parliament and the legal system. It is this body that elects Iran's supreme leader.