Iran has said it has “no choice” but to develop a nuclear weapon to ensure its security, despite Tehran’s recent commitment under a preliminary agreement with the United States not to seek nuclear weapons, according to a media report linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The article titled “There is no choice but to build the atomic bomb” was published by the Iranian state-run Fars News Agency on Sunday and stressed that Tehran must negotiate with its opponents from a position of strength and strategic deterrence.“To achieve the peace and tranquility that Iran needs, it must absolutely achieve nuclear deterrence to ensure that remaining issues can be resolved through negotiations,” the article stated, drawing comparisons between Iran’s current confrontation with the United States and China’s strategic position during the 1970s.By drawing comparisons with China’s relations with the United States in the 1970s, the article argued that Beijing was unable to negotiate with Washington until it developed nuclear weapons.The article stated, “America has threatened China with a nuclear attack twice, similar to Trump’s recent nuclear threats against Iran – but when did Kissinger secretly meet with the Chinese and then negotiate? That was when China created the atomic bomb.”
She also said that nuclear weapons would help establish a strategic balance with countries that possess nuclear arsenals.He added, “Nuclear deterrence means that you can reach a balance of power against America and Israel, which possess atomic bombs, not to prevent a war, but so that the scope of the conflict remains under control.”These statements come despite a memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran earlier this month, under which Iran agreed to allow IAEA inspectors to restore access to its nuclear facilities after suspending oversight last year.As part of the agreement, Iran also pledged not to develop nuclear weapons, while the United States called on Tehran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities for 20 years.The publication of the article comes at a time when the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, renewed his calls for unrestricted access to Iranian nuclear facilities. “The Iranian government has confirmed this very clearly [developing nuclear weapons] Grossi told reporters on Friday: “This is not their intention, but intentions are of course not enough.”“In order to have certainty, we need a very robust system to verify as soon as possible,” he added.Although Iran agreed to let International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back in September, it has not yet allowed access to nuclear sites damaged during US strikes ordered by President Donald Trump in 2025. The whereabouts of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium also remains unclear.Iranian officials have continued to defend the country’s military capabilities as essential to national security. “Iranian military capabilities guarantee the Iranian people’s inherent right to legitimate self-defense in the face of aggression and crimes, while at the same time ensuring peace and stability in the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a post on X on Friday.Baqai also criticized the Gulf states, accusing them of “engaging in aggression against their Muslim neighbour” while “remaining silent regarding Israel’s nuclear arsenal.”
