An advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader has stated that Iran has the capacity to produce nuclear weapons and may reconsider its policies on using such weapons if faced with threats.
Kamal Kharazi mentioned that the range of Iran’s ballistic missiles could also increase.
In an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV, Kharazi said, “In the event of an existential threat, Iran will revise its nuclear doctrine. We have the capability to build weapons, and there is no issue on that front.”
Kharrazi added that the only current deterrent is the Supreme Leader’s religious decree (fatwa).
In 2003, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa declaring the production and use of nuclear weapons as forbidden, reflecting Iran’s official stance on its nuclear program, emphasizing that Iran does not seek nuclear arms.
However, following the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2017 and the resulting tensions, some Iranian officials, including Khamenei’s advisors, have openly discussed the potential for nuclear weapon production and changes to Iran’s nuclear doctrine.
CIA Director William Burns stated in early October that the U.S. has no evidence of an Iranian decision to build a nuclear weapon but noted that Iran could acquire the material for a bomb within a week or more.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told NBC News that the U.S. remains concerned about Iran’s nuclear activities.
The spokesperson added that the U.S. intelligence community continues to assess that Iran’s Supreme Leader has not decided to resume a nuclear weapons program.
He also said, “We take any nuclear escalation by Iran incredibly seriously and will respond accordingly.”
In 2015, under President Barack Obama, Iran signed a nuclear agreement with the U.S. and other world powers, agreeing to limit its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanction relief.
In 2017, former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement, arguing that it did not restrict Iran’s ballistic missile program or its influence over powerful proxy forces in the region.
Since the U.S. exit, Iran has steadily exceeded the limits on its nuclear activities and has restricted international inspectors’ access to some nuclear sites.
The current nuclear tensions reflect Iran’s evolving stance amid geopolitical shifts, raising urgent questions about the future of non-proliferation efforts in the region.
Addressing these challenges requires diplomatic engagement and robust international cooperation to prevent potential nuclear escalation.
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