Iran and the Nuclear non-proliferation Treaty

This Briefing Paper examines the legal basis of EU policy towards Iran in the context of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) legal framework. Its major emphasis is on the compatibility of the Paris Agreement concluded between the EU and Iran on 15 November 2004 with the stipulations of the NPT. In addition, the Briefing Paper addresses also the issue of Tehrans reduced cooperation with the IAEA and its repeated threats to withdraw from the NPT. The analysis of this Briefing Paper predates the June 2006 incentive package agreed upon by the P-5 plus Germany. But, guided by the Diplomacy First! principle, it makes some recommendations for the EU role in the context of the efforts of direct diplomacy efforts between Washington and Tehran in a multilateral setting.