In a recent interview, Ahmad Bakhshayeshi Ardestani, a member of the faculty at Imam Sadegh University and former parliament representative, hinted at Tehran’s potential possession of nuclear weapons.
Speaking to the state-run Ruydad 24, Ardestani said, “In my opinion, we have obtained nuclear weapons, but we are not announcing it. Our executive policy is to possess nuclear bombs, but our official policy is currently to stick with the framework of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Because when countries want to go head-to-head, they should be at the same level of prowess. Iran being at the same level with the United States and Israel implies that Iran must have nuclear weapons.”
The former MP added, “There is no need to announce to the International Atomic Energy Agency that we have a nuclear bomb. Iran sometimes hints at its capabilities, and then the agency becomes aware. Sometimes Iran requests inspections by the agency. In a context where Russia has attacked Ukraine and Israel has attacked Gaza, and since Iran is a staunch supporter of the Resistance Front, it is obvious from a deterrence perspective that Iran should possess a nuclear bomb. But publicly announcing it is another matter.”
#Iran News:
Fearing Regional Pressure, Once Again Iran’s Regime Resorts to #Nuclear Bomb Extortionhttps://t.co/LvjE6Ym3dT— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 9, 2024
Ardestani continued, “The Supreme Leader’s fatwa regarding the prohibition of nuclear bombs is a form of action, meaning we do not initially move towards this issue in our defense policies. But sometimes you are forced into something and you transition from an active state to a defensive one. In fact, the Supreme Leader’s fatwa includes Iran’s action, but when your rival in the region possesses a nuclear bomb and constantly provokes you, you shift from an active state to a reactive one. Iran’s response to the nuclear issue implies acquiring it because we want to sleep better at night.”
The clerical regime has consistently used the nuclear blackmail card to pressure Western countries into continuing their policy of appeasement. On May 8, Kamal Kharrazi, the head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, announced that the regime possesses the capability to develop nuclear weapons and it “will change its nuclear doctrine if pressured to do so.”
