diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/nftables/BUILD b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/BUILD
index 4bb1a167b..46dcf7a6b 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/nftables/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/BUILD
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ package(
 
 go_library(
     name = "nftables",
-    srcs = ["nftables.go"],
+    srcs = [
+        "nftables.go",
+        "nftinterp.go",
+    ],
     deps = [
         "//pkg/abi/linux",
         "//pkg/tcpip/stack",
@@ -16,7 +19,10 @@ go_library(
 
 go_test(
     name = "nftables_test",
-    srcs = ["nftables_test.go"],
+    srcs = [
+        "nftables_test.go",
+        "nftinterp_test.go",
+    ],
     library = ":nftables",
     deps = [
         "//pkg/abi/linux",
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp.go b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b222c9524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp.go
@@ -0,0 +1,334 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The gVisor Authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package nftables
+
+import (
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"math"
+	"regexp"
+	"slices"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/abi/linux"
+)
+
+// SyntaxError is an interpretation error due to incorrect syntax.
+type SyntaxError struct {
+	// lnIdx is the index of the line where the error occurred.
+	lnIdx int
+	// tkIdx is the index of the token where the error occurred.
+	tkIdx int
+	// msg is the error message, defined locally.
+	msg string
+}
+
+// Error implements error interface for SyntaxError to return an error message.
+func (e *SyntaxError) Error() string {
+	// Adds 1 to line index and token index to account for 0-indexing.
+	return fmt.Sprintf("syntax error at line %d, token %d: %s", e.lnIdx+1, e.tkIdx+1, e.msg)
+}
+
+// LogicError is an interpretation error from modifying the NFTables state.
+type LogicError struct {
+	// lnIdx is the index of the line where the error occurred.
+	lnIdx int
+	// tkIdx is the index of the token where the error occurred.
+	tkIdx int
+	// error is the error returned from modifying the NFTables state.
+	err error
+}
+
+// Error implements error interface for LogicError to return an error message.
+func (e *LogicError) Error() string {
+	// Adds 1 to line index and token index to account for 0-indexing.
+	return fmt.Sprintf("logic error at line %d, token %d: %v", e.lnIdx+1, e.tkIdx+1, e.err)
+}
+
+// Note: this is a limited set of keywords.
+var reservedKeywords []string = []string{
+	"include",                        // include keyword
+	"define", "undefine", "redefine", // symbolic variables keywords
+	"ip", "ip6", "inet", "arp", "bridge", "netdev", // address families
+	"list", "flush", "ruleset", // ruleset operations
+	"add", "create", "delete", "destroy", "table", "comment", "flags", "handle", // table operations
+	"rename", "chain", "type", "hook", "device", "priority", "policy", // chain operations
+	"insert", "reset", "replace", "rule", "index", // rule operations
+}
+
+// Set of reserved specifiers for quick lookup.
+var reservedKeywordSet map[string]struct{} = initReservedKeywordSet()
+
+func initReservedKeywordSet() map[string]struct{} {
+	set := make(map[string]struct{})
+	for _, k := range reservedKeywords {
+		set[k] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	return set
+}
+
+var identifierRegexp = regexp.MustCompile("^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_/.]*$")
+
+// validateIdentifier checks if the identifier is valid.
+// An identifier is valid if it is not a reserved keyword and begins with an
+// alphabetic character or underscore followed by zero or more alphanumeric
+// characters, underscores, forward slashes, or periods.
+func validateIdentifier(id string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) error {
+	if _, ok := reservedKeywordSet[id]; ok {
+		return &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("cannot use reserved keyword %s as an identifier", id)}
+	}
+
+	if !identifierRegexp.MatchString(id) {
+		return &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("invalid identifier %s", id)}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// InterpretRule creates a new Rule from the given rule string, assumed to be
+// represented as a block of text with a single operation per line.
+// Note: the rule string should be generated as output from the official nft
+// binary (can be accomplished by using flag --debug=netlink).
+func InterpretRule(ruleString string) (*Rule, error) {
+	ruleString = strings.TrimSpace(ruleString)
+	lines := slices.DeleteFunc(strings.Split(ruleString, "\n"), func(s string) bool {
+		return s == ""
+	})
+
+	r := &Rule{ops: make([]Operation, 0, len(lines))}
+
+	// Interprets all operations in the rule.
+	for lnIdx, line := range lines {
+		op, err := InterpretOperation(line, lnIdx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		r.AddOperation(op)
+	}
+
+	return r, nil
+}
+
+// InterpretOperation creates a new Operation from the given operation string,
+// assumed to be a single line of text surrounded in square brackets.
+// Note: the operation string should be generated as output from the official nft
+// binary (can be accomplished by using flag --debug=netlink).
+func InterpretOperation(line string, lnIdx int) (Operation, error) {
+	tokens := strings.Fields(line)
+	if len(tokens) < 2 {
+		return nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, 0, fmt.Sprintf("incorrect number of tokens for operation, should be at least 2, got %d", len(tokens))}
+	}
+
+	// Second token decides the operation type.
+	switch tokens[1] {
+	case "immediate":
+		return InterpretImmediate(line, lnIdx)
+	default:
+		return nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, 1, fmt.Sprintf("unrecognized operation type: %s", tokens[1])}
+	}
+}
+
+// InterpretImmediate creates a new Immediate operation from the given string.
+func InterpretImmediate(line string, lnIdx int) (Operation, error) {
+	tokens := strings.Fields(line)
+
+	// Requires at least 6 tokens:
+	// 		"[", "immediate", "reg", register index, register value, "]".
+	if len(tokens) < 6 {
+		return nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, 0, fmt.Sprintf("incorrect number of tokens for immediate operation, should be at least 6, got %d", len(tokens))}
+	}
+
+	if err := checkOperationBrackets(tokens, lnIdx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	tkIdx := 1
+
+	// First token should be "immediate".
+	if err := consumeToken("immediate", tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tkIdx++
+
+	// Second token should be "reg".
+	if err := consumeToken("reg", tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tkIdx++
+
+	// Third token should be the uint8 representing the register index.
+	reg, err := parseRegister(tokens[tkIdx], lnIdx, tkIdx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tkIdx++
+
+	// Fourth token should be the value.
+	nextIdx, data, err := parseRegisterData(reg, tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tkIdx = nextIdx
+
+	// Done parsing tokens.
+	if tkIdx != len(tokens)-1 {
+		return nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, "unexpected token after immediate operation"}
+	}
+
+	// Create the operation with the specified arguments.
+	imm, err := NewImmediate(reg, data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, &LogicError{lnIdx, tkIdx, err}
+	}
+
+	return imm, nil
+}
+
+//
+// Interpreter Helper Functions.
+//
+
+// checkOperationBrackets checks that the operation string is surrounded by
+// square brackets.
+func checkOperationBrackets(tokens []string, lnIdx int) error {
+	if tokens[0] != "[" {
+		return &SyntaxError{lnIdx, 0, "operation missing opening square bracket"}
+	}
+	if tokens[len(tokens)-1] != "]" {
+		return &SyntaxError{lnIdx, len(tokens) - 1, "operation missing closing square bracket"}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// parseRegister parses the register index from the given string.
+func parseRegister(regString string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) (uint8, error) {
+	reg64, err := strconv.ParseUint(regString, 10, 8)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("could not parse uint8 register index: '%s'", regString)}
+	}
+
+	if reg64 > math.MaxUint8 || !isRegister(uint8(reg64)) {
+		return 0, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("invalid register index: %d", reg64)}
+	}
+
+	return uint8(reg64), nil
+}
+
+// parseRegisterData parses the register data from the given token and returns
+// the index of the next token to process (can consume multiple tokens).
+// Note: assumes the register index is valid (was checked in parseRegister).
+func parseRegisterData(reg uint8, tokens []string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) (int, RegisterData, error) {
+	// Handles verdict data.
+	if isVerdictRegister(reg) {
+		nextIdx, verdict, err := parseVerdict(tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, nil, err
+		}
+		return nextIdx, NewVerdictData(verdict), nil
+	}
+	// Handles hex data (4- or 16-byte).
+	if len(tokens[tkIdx]) > 1 && tokens[tkIdx][:2] == "0x" {
+		nextIdx, data, err := parseHexData(tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, nil, err
+		}
+		// Validates the register data type. 4-byte data is valid for both 4- and
+		// 16-byte registers, but 16-byte data is only valid for 16-byte registers.
+		if err := data.ValidateRegister(reg); err != nil {
+			return 0, nil, &LogicError{lnIdx, tkIdx, err}
+		}
+		return nextIdx, data, nil
+	}
+	// TODO(b/345684870): cases will be added here as more types are supported.
+	return 0, nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("invalid register data: '%s'", tokens[tkIdx])}
+}
+
+// parseVerdict parses the verdict from the given token and returns
+// the index of the next token to process (can consume multiple tokens).
+func parseVerdict(tokens []string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) (int, Verdict, error) {
+	v := Verdict{}
+
+	switch tokens[tkIdx] {
+	case "accept":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NF_ACCEPT)
+	case "drop":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NF_DROP)
+	case "continue":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NFT_CONTINUE)
+	case "return":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NFT_RETURN)
+	case "jump":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NFT_JUMP)
+	case "goto":
+		v.Code = VC(linux.NFT_GOTO)
+	default:
+		return 0, v, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("invalid verdict: '%s'", tokens[tkIdx])}
+	}
+	tkIdx++
+
+	// jump and chain verdicts require 2 more tokens to specify the target chain.
+	//		"jump"/"goto", "->", chain name.
+	switch v.Code {
+	case VC(linux.NFT_JUMP), VC(linux.NFT_GOTO):
+		if err := consumeToken("->", tokens, lnIdx, tkIdx); err != nil {
+			return 0, v, err
+		}
+		tkIdx++
+
+		if err := validateIdentifier(tokens[tkIdx], lnIdx, tkIdx); err != nil {
+			return 0, v, err
+		}
+		v.ChainName = tokens[tkIdx]
+		tkIdx++
+	}
+
+	return tkIdx, v, nil
+}
+
+// parseHexData parses little endian hexadecimal data from the given token and
+// returns the index of the next token to process (can consume multiple tokens).
+func parseHexData(tokens []string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) (int, RegisterData, error) {
+	var bytes []byte
+	for ; tkIdx < len(tokens); tkIdx++ {
+		if len(tokens[tkIdx]) < 2 || tokens[tkIdx][:2] != "0x" {
+			break
+		}
+
+		if len(tokens[tkIdx]) != 10 {
+			return 0, nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("hexadecimal data must be exactly 8 digits long (excluding 0x): '%s'", tokens[tkIdx])}
+		}
+
+		// Decodes the little endian hex string into bytes
+		bytes4, err := hex.DecodeString(tokens[tkIdx][2:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("could not decode hexadecimal data: '%s'", tokens[tkIdx])}
+		}
+		bytes = append(bytes, bytes4...)
+	}
+	if len(bytes) == 4 || len(bytes) == 16 {
+		return tkIdx, NewBytesData(bytes), nil
+	}
+	return 0, nil, &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("incorrect number of bytes for hexadecimal data, should be 4 or 16, got %d", len(bytes))}
+}
+
+// consumeToken is a helper function that checks if the token at the given index
+// matches the expected string, returning a SyntaxError if not.
+func consumeToken(expected string, tokens []string, lnIdx int, tkIdx int) error {
+	if tokens[tkIdx] != expected {
+		return &SyntaxError{lnIdx, tkIdx, fmt.Sprintf("unexpected string: %s", tokens[tkIdx])}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4fce65597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/nftables/nftinterp_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The gVisor Authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package nftables
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/abi/linux"
+)
+
+func TestInterpretImmediateOps(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		tname string
+		opStr string
+		op    *Immediate // will be nil if an error is expected
+	}{
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with accept verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 accept ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NF_ACCEPT)})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with drop verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 drop ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NF_DROP)})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with continue verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 continue ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NFT_CONTINUE)})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with return verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 return ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NFT_RETURN)})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with jump verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 jump -> next_chain ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NFT_JUMP), ChainName: "next_chain"})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with goto verdict",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 goto -> next_chain ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_VERDICT, NewVerdictData(Verdict{Code: VC(linux.NFT_GOTO), ChainName: "next_chain"})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with 4-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 0x0201a8c0 ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "verdict register with 16-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 0 0xb80d0120 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x02000000 ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "16-byte register with verdict data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 1 accept ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "16-byte register with verdict data with target",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 2 jump -> next_chain ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "16-byte register with 4-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 3 0x0201a8c0 ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_3, NewBytesData([]byte{0x02, 0x01, 0xa8, 0xc0})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "16-byte register with 16-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 4 0xb80d0120 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x02000000 ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG_4, NewBytesData([]byte{0xb8, 0x0d, 0x01, 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "16-byte register with 8-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 4 0xb80d0120 0x00000050 ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "4-byte register with verdict data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 8 return ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "4-byte register with verdict data with target",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 9 goto -> next_chain ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "4-byte register with 4-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 10 0x0201a8c0 ]",
+			op:    mustCreateImmediate(t, linux.NFT_REG32_02, NewBytesData([]byte{0x02, 0x01, 0xa8, 0xc0})),
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "4-byte register with 16-byte data",
+			opStr: "[ immediate reg 9 0xb80d0120 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x02000000 ]",
+			op:    nil,
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.tname, func(t *testing.T) {
+			rule, err := InterpretRule(test.opStr)
+			if err != nil {
+				if test.op == nil {
+					return
+				}
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected interpretation error for %s: %v", test.tname, err)
+			}
+
+			if len(rule.ops) != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected single operation for %s, got %d", test.tname, len(rule.ops))
+			}
+			op := rule.ops[0]
+			if err := checkImmediateOp(test.tname, test.op, op); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf(err.Error())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func checkImmediateOp(tname string, expected *Immediate, actual Operation) error {
+	if actual == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected non-nil operation for %s, got nil", tname)
+	}
+	imm, ok := actual.(*Immediate)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected operation type to be Immediate for %s, got %s", tname, actual.TypeString())
+	}
+	if imm.dreg != expected.dreg {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected register to be %d for %s, got %d", expected.dreg, tname, imm.dreg)
+	}
+	if !imm.data.Equal(expected.data) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected data to be %s for %s, got %s", expected.data.String(), tname, imm.data.String())
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func TestInterpretRule(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		tname   string
+		ruleStr string
+		rule    *Rule // will be nil if an error is expected
+	}{
+		{
+			tname:   "empty ruleset",
+			ruleStr: ``,
+			rule:    &Rule{},
+		},
+		{
+			tname: "empty ruleset with excess whitespace",
+			ruleStr: `		
+
+
+			`,
+			rule: &Rule{},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.tname, func(t *testing.T) {
+			rule, err := InterpretRule(test.ruleStr)
+			if err != nil {
+				if test.rule == nil {
+					return
+				}
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected interpretation error for %s: %v", test.tname, err)
+			}
+
+			if len(rule.ops) != len(test.rule.ops) {
+				t.Fatalf("expected %d operations for %s, got %d", len(test.rule.ops), test.tname, len(rule.ops))
+			}
+
+			// Checks each operation in the rule with the appropriate check function.
+			for i, op := range rule.ops {
+				testOp := test.rule.ops[i]
+				switch testOp.(type) {
+				case *Immediate:
+					if err := checkImmediateOp(test.tname, testOp.(*Immediate), op); err != nil {
+						t.Fatalf(err.Error())
+					}
+				// TODO(b/345684870): cases will be added here as more types are supported.
+				default:
+					t.Fatalf("unexpected operation type for %s: %s", test.tname, testOp.TypeString())
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}