Iranian lawmaker Ahmed Bakhshayesh Adestani claimed on Friday that Iran possesses nuclear weapons despite its formal policy under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). According to Fox News, the statement came shortly after the United Nations atomic watchdog highlighted Iran’s ability to produce multiple nuclear bombs.
In an interview with local outlet Rouydad 24, Adestani dismissed official claims that Iran was complying with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which aims to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions.
“In my opinion, we have achieved nuclear weapons, but we have not declared it. This means that our policy is to have nuclear bombs, but our declared policy is currently within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” Adesta Ni said.
The controversial statement follows a warning from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi.
The international community, particularly the United States and Israel, have expressed serious concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with the United States withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018 under President Donald Trump.
There was an uproar in conservative media after it was revealed that John Kerry, Barack Obama’s former secretary of state, had been meeting secretly with Iranian officials to save Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Fox News:
Adestani, who was re-elected to Iran’s quasi-parliament in March this year, added, “The reason is that when countries want to confront other countries, their capabilities must be compatible, and Iran’s compatibility with the United States and Israel means that Iran must possess nuclear weapons,”
The Iranian congressman pointed out that “when Russia attacks Ukraine, Israel attacks Gaza, and Iran is a staunch supporter of the Resistance Front, it is natural that the containment system requires Iran to possess a nuclear bomb. However, whether Iran will take a stand is another time Fox Digital News sent media inquiries to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran and its mission to the United Nations in New York.
Experts on Iran’s illegal nuclear weapons program have warned against Adestani’s seemingly speculative remarks. Jason Brodsky, policy director of the U.S. Anti-Nuclear Iran Coalition, told Fox News Digital that “Adestani is only a member of parliament and is not at the core of the Iranian regime’s nuclear decision-making circles, so although his comments are very important, Interesting, I think these comments have to be weighed appropriately given his access and status.
Just two days before Adestani’s announcement, Kamal Kharrazi, chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council for Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera: “I said in an interview with Al Jazeera two years ago that Declared that Iran has absorptive capabilities as well as the capability to build a nuclear bomb. Iran still has that capability, but we have not made the decision to produce one. However, if Iran’s interests are threatened in this way, we may change that doctrine. Iranian military officials have announced that if our nuclear facilities are attacked, we may change our military doctrine on nuclear facilities. The American Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translated and published Halazi’s May 8 interview.
Brodsky said, Khalazi’s comments are part of increasingly loud threats from Iranian officials to change Iran’s nuclear doctrine if Israel attacks them. The current advanced state of Iran’s nuclear program puts it in a position to issue these threats as it hopes to deter Western policymakers from mounting pressure on Tehran.
Critics of the Biden administration’s Iran policy argue that the White House’s de-escalation and containment strategy against Iran’s nuclear program is counterproductive. The Iranian regime—the world’s worst sponsor of international terrorism—is moving at breakneck speed to secure an operational nuclear weapon.
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