Iran reaffirms stance against nuclear weapons amid regional tensions

Iranian President Mesud Pezeshkian reaffirmed that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons and will adhere to the religious decree issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which bans the development and use of such weapons. Pezeshkian made these comments during a meeting with Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Tehran.

According to a statement from the Iranian presidency, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program continues in cooperation with the IAEA, assuring that the country is ready to address any concerns or doubts regarding its activities.

“As we have emphasized many times, Iran has never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons, based on the clear decree of the Supreme Leader,” he said. “No one will be allowed to deviate from this policy.”

Pezeshkian also responded to threats from Israel, accusing it of committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon. He called on the international community to intervene and halt Israel’s actions, warning that failure to do so could lead to a broader war.

He stressed, “We believe that war is not in the interest of us, the region, or the world. No sane person would start or spread a war, but we will respond decisively to any action that threatens our security.”

Grossi, in turn, expressed hope that Iran and the IAEA would continue to collaborate effectively, ensuring transparency and addressing concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities.

In recent months, there have been calls from certain figures within Iran to reconsider Khamenei’s fatwa in response to Israel’s nuclear capabilities and escalating tensions.

In May, Kamal Kharrazi, Chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, suggested that Iran could reassess its position if Israel were to threaten Iran with its nuclear weapons. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also stated that such a threat could lead regional countries to reconsider their nuclear stance.

US wants ‘behavioral change’ by Iran

Meanwhile, U.S. wants action rather than words by Iran on its nuclear program, after President Masoud Pezeshkian promised to resolve doubts ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the State Department said Thursday.

“Ultimately, what we want to see from Iran is actual behavioral change and action, not just signs of something or indications of something,” said State Department spokesman Vedant Patel, part of the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden.

“We want to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon, and we’re going to continue to use a variety of tools to pursue that goal, and all options remain on the table,” Patel told reporters.