Iran issues terrifying four-word nuclear weapons warning and threatens to leave treaty

Iran's top nuclear negotiator has issued a terrifying warning over the country's enrichment programme, saying it could withdraw from the only international safeguard. Kazem Gharibabadi, also deputy foreign minister, said Tehran would "not show more restraint" if Britain, France, and Germany enforce strict UN sanctions by the end of August.

These "snapback" sanctions, as they are known, refer to a clause in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Nations that signed up to the treaty are allowed to slap penalties on Iran if it violates the agreement before it expires at the end of October. Former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was in charge during the JCPOA's establishment, had a plan in place in the event of Western sanctions.

Gharibabadi revealed that Tehran could withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) if it's hit with snapback sanctions. The NPT is the only international safegaurd against Iran's nuclear programme.

He told reporters in New York: "There was a communication by President Rouhani to his counterparts that if the snapback is triggered, what would be the response of Iran on that time, he wrote that Iran would withdraw from the NPT."

The diplomat stressed that Iran has always operated within the rules of the treaty, despite "huge pressure at the domestic level" to leave it.

He continued: "After this aggression, the people, parliamentarians, journalists, politicians, they were of the view that now is the time to withdraw from the NPT, because the aggression is worse than the snapback.

"But Iran decided to stay in the NPT. But I'm quite confident that if the snapback is triggered. Iran will not show more restraint in this regard."

This comes after nuclear discussions between Iran and the US collapsed after Israel launched a surprise atttack, sparking a 12-day war.

Gharibabadi said his team would continue to engage with European nations, and was open to resuming the Washington talks.

However, he said the country's policies "have not been changed" and it would not give up its right to enrich uranium and lower civilian levels.

He said: "Iran's policies have not been changed after the aggression; we are even more determined to pursue our policies."