The spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Iran stated in a briefing on Monday that the country’s government would not engage in the development of nuclear weapons and would adhere to international laws regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
This statement came after a member of Parliament in Iran claimed in the media that Iran already possessed nuclear weapons, but the government was concealing this fact to comply with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The lawmaker, Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, made these claims after a visit from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, who expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of nuclear inspections in Iran.
In response to concerns that Iran may be moving towards declaring itself a nuclear state, a senior adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei stated that Iran might adjust its nuclear doctrine in response to actions taken by Israel against Hamas, an organization supported by Iran.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kan’ani, emphasized that there were no immediate plans to change Iran’s nuclear doctrine and cited a supposed religious decree issued by Ayatollah Khamenei prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons as the basis for Iran’s stance on WMDs.
Despite claims by some Iranian officials, there is no concrete evidence supporting the existence of such a religious decree. Additionally, historical evidence suggests that Iran has pursued the development of nuclear weapons in the past.
The spokesperson’s statements seem to be aimed at minimizing the impact of Ardestani’s claims, which hold weight due to his position in Parliament. It remains unclear how far Iran has progressed in its nuclear weapons development, as the regime’s lack of transparency hinders accurate assessments by international bodies.
While Iran continues to emphasize its commitment to a nuclear-free Middle East, questions remain regarding its enrichment of uranium and the amount of nuclear material in its possession, which experts believe could be used for the development of nuclear weapons. The lack of transparency and cooperation from the Iranian government has led to frustration and concerns among international inspectors.
