An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reignited concerns over the country’s nuclear ambitions, particularly in light of escalating tensions with Israel.
Kamal Kharrazi, the adviser, hinted at a shift in Iran’s nuclear doctrine if its existence is perceived to be under threat by Israel. “We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb, but should Iran’s existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine,” Kharrazi said.
Tensions between Iran and Israel reached a tipping point when the former launched a barrage of explosive drones and missiles directly targeting Israeli territory, in response to the bombing of Iran’s embassy in Syria’s capital Damascus earlier in April.
Despite Ayatollah Khamenei’s previous fatwa against nuclear weapons development, Iran’s then-intelligence minister hinted in 2021 that external pressures, particularly from Western nations, could prompt a reassessment of Iran’s nuclear posture.
“In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime (Israel), our deterrence will change,” Kharrazi added.
Amidst this backdrop, efforts to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have yielded mixed results. While discussions between Iran’s nuclear officials and IAEA representatives have been described as positive and productive, tangible progress remains elusive. Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA, expressed frustration over Iran’s alleged lack of cooperation, highlighting the urgency for concrete measures to address outstanding concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Last year, Iran made commitments to assist in investigating uranium particles found at undeclared sites and reinstall monitoring equipment. However, the IAEA reports indicate that these assurances have not resulted in significant advancements.
“The present state is completely unsatisfactory for me. We are almost at an impasse and this needs to be changed,” Grossi said, as quoted by news agency AFP.
During discussions between Grossi and Iranian officials, both sides acknowledged the 2023 agreement as a potential framework for cooperation, but implementation has been slow. Additionally, concerns were raised about external interference, particularly from Israel, which Iran views as a hostile actor.