SAEDNEWS: Iran’s envoy to the United Kingdom publicly rebuked British MPs for referring to his country as a “regime,” warning that Tehran could invoke its right under Article 10 to quit the NPT if its vital interests are threatened.
According to Saed News, Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in London, delivered an unusually pointed reprimand during a parliamentary meeting with members sympathetic to Israel. “Be careful with your words,” he admonished, insisting that “Iran is a lawful state—not a regime.” His riposte underscored Tehran’s long-standing conviction that Western discourse often seeks to delegitimize its government rather than engage with it as a sovereign actor.
The ambassador’s intervention came amid broader discussions on Middle Eastern security and non‑proliferation. Mousavi reminded delegates that, should Iran’s “vital national interests” be imperiled, leaving the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty under Article 10 would be not merely a threat but a legal right. This stance reflects a pattern of diplomatic assertiveness from Tehran, which has grown increasingly sensitive to what it perceives as Western double standards.
Analysts note that Mousavi’s forthright remarks serve a dual purpose: signalling to hardliners in Tehran that the embassy remains vigilant, while cautioning Western interlocutors against careless rhetoric. They also highlight the strategic use of language in diplomacy—where a single term can carry the weight of recognition or repudiation.
Although the UK Foreign Office has remained silent on the specifics of the exchange, the episode is likely to complicate an already fraught UK‑Iran relationship. In an era of shifting alliances and nuclear anxieties, semantics have become a flashpoint for sovereign pride and geopolitical brinkmanship.
