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Continuing a series of nuclear threats by Iranian regime officials, Fereydoon Abbasi, a member of the parliament’s Energy Commission and former head of the regime’s Atomic Energy Organization, has threatened the use of nuclear weapons.
In an interview with the state-run website Rouydad24, Abbasi stated, “We do not believe in weapons of mass destruction, but it is unacceptable for those who possess such weapons to misuse their power. Everyone is aware that we have the capability to launch satellites, and a country that can launch satellites and place them in specific orbits possesses high standards.”
In a rebuke to Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said, “Iran’s nuclear doctrine is not fixed. However, the IAEA has proven that it is not an independent institution. Although Iran does not believe in weapons of mass destruction, it is unacceptable for those who possess such weapons to misuse their power.”
He added, “Nuclear weapons have two main prerequisites: material and technology. Our opponents have known for years that we have the capability to produce materials and are technologically advanced. Those who are knowledgeable understand what I am saying.”
In an interview with The Guardian published on May 14, Rafael Grossi had urged Tehran to refrain from nuclear weapons threats in their rhetoric.
#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
In recent weeks, various officials within the Iranian regime have engaged in nuclear blackmail. Kamal Kharrazi, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei and former foreign minister, has repeatedly threatened the regime might be compelled to change its nuclear doctrine. Additionally, Ahmad Bakhshayesh, a former member of parliament, stated that he believes the Iranian regime already possesses nuclear weapons but does not wish to announce it.
Meanwhile, Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, threatened three European countries, saying, “All criminals should know that their actions and crimes are noted. France, Germany, and the UK should not think that the night they came and brought their planes, the matter was over and done with. Yes, that night is now over, but their account has not been settled with us.”
He made these remarks on Wednesday, May 15, during a ceremony commemorating Mohammad Hadi Haj-Rahimi, a Quds Force commander killed in Syria. Qaani stated, “The Zionist regime, the United States, and all of the West are too insignificant to stand against the Resistance Front. This is not just a slogan; it has been proven in practice, and they themselves acknowledge it.”
Mohammad Hadi Haj-Rahimi was killed on April 1 in an Israeli attack on the consulate building of the clerical regime, along with Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the IRGC commander in Syria and Lebanon, and five other IRGC members.
Wary of facing pushback from its warmongering in the #MiddleEastConflict, #Iran's regime has sent another official to play the nuclear extortion card, hinting that its Supreme Leader may reconsider his fatwa and pursue nuclear weapon production. pic.twitter.com/NR14AOpObd
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 9, 2024
Following the attack, the Iranian regime faced internal pressure to avenge the deaths of its senior commanders. Consequently, 12 days later, the regime carried out an operation named “Vade-e Sadeq” (Arabic for Honest Oath), during which 331 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel. Senior regime officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, later admitted that the targeted parties had been informed of the attack in advance.
Reports following the attack indicated that Israel, in collaboration with the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, successfully intercepted and destroyed a great portion of the missiles and drones launched by the IRGC. Many experts deemed the missile and drone attacks by Tehran a military failure, and public opinion in Iran focused on the IRGC’s incapacity in this operation.
However, Qaani also issued veiled threats to Iran’s neighbors, stating, “Some regional leaders who rely on the United States should consider whether America will defend them more than it does the Zionist regime.”
It is evident that the leading state sponsor of global terrorism feels threatened due to its growing regional and international isolation. Hence, it seeks to compensate for its inherent weaknesses and the confluence of domestic problems by resorting to terrorism or the threats thereof through nuclear and missile intimidations. Yet, if the past is prologue, the only thing that can deter this regime from executing its rhetoric is resolute and decisive action.
