Iran may quit nuclear treaty if attacked

TEHRAN - Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said Sunday that Iran may quit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) if its nuclear facilities come under attacks, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

"In case of an attack, Iran's obligations will change. My assessment is that Iran may leave the NPT," Jafari was quoted as saying.

However, it would not mean that Iran will develop nuclear weapons "because we have a religious decree from the Supreme Leader" against atomic weapons, he added.

Jafari also said that in the case of an attack by Israel, Iran would close the strategic Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and would target US bases in the Middle East, according to Mehr.

"It is a declared policy by Iran that if war occurs in the region and the Islamic republic is involved, it is natural that the Strait of Hormuz as well as the energy (market) will face difficulties," the report quoted him as saying.

The commander said he does not think Israel would attack Iran " without US permission," adding that "our response to Israel is clear. I do not think that anything will remain of Israel, considering the small size (of Israel) and vulnerability of this regime."

It is believed here that Israel will not be successful in making the United States join it in an attack on Iran, Jafari said, arguing that the United States is "highly vulnerable" and its bases are at the reach of the IRGC's missiles.

Any military aggression against Iran will bear no fruit for the aggressors and will even cause damage and repercussions to them, he added.

The IRGC is fully equipped with advanced arms and is ready to defend the country against all types of threats, said Jafari.

Western countries including the United States and Israel suspect that Iran's nuclear activities aim at weapons. The United States and Israel have not ruled out the possibility to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

The IRGC chief also said Sunday that Iran does not have any military presence in Syria.

Some of IRGC's Quds forces are in Syria, but it does not mean that Iran is militarily present in Syria, Jafari said.

The IRGC provides "mental and economic supports" to its regional ally, he said, slamming that some other countries back" terrorism" in Syria.

It is Iran's honor to share its experiences with Syria and to provide consultations to the Arab state, which is in the resistance front against Israel, he said.

Asked about the security pact between Iran and Syria and whether Iran will offer military support to Syria in case there is a foreign military intervention in the country, Jafari said, "It is not clear (now) and it depends totally on the circumstances."

Iran, a close ally of Syria, has said it strongly opposes any form of foreign intervention in Syria, but has called on the Syrian government to listen to its people's demands and carry out reforms.

Syria has been wrecked by bombings and violence since March 2011.