Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that his country is considering a number of options in response to the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic, state IRIB TV reported.
"There are many options available to the Islamic republic, and the country's officials are considering them," Zarif told IRIB.
"Leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is one of the options," he said.
Since the exit from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive plan of Action (JCPOA), in May last year, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump has been piling up pressure on Iran through a series of sanctions.
In November last year, Washington snapped back sanctions on Iran's banking, energy and shipping industries, despite a 180-day waiver granted to eight of Iran's major oil buyers, including the Republic of Korea, Japan and Turkey.
Last week, Washington ended the six-month waiver and demanded these buyers stop their purchases by May.
"The JCPOA showed sanctions could be removed through negotiations," Zarif said, noting his country has never violated its commitments, and it was the opposite sides, particularly the United States, that did not live up to their undertakings.
