Iran Alleges That Nukes Not Part Of Its Doctrine

The Iranian foreign ministry claimed on Monday that nuclear weapons have no place in its nuclear doctrine.

The statement came in response to heightened tensions with Israel and recent remarks by a Revolutionary Guards commander that suggested potential changes to Iran's nuclear policy under external threats.

"Nuclear weapons have no place in our nuclear doctrine," said ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani during a press briefing in Tehran. He once again claimed that Iran's nuclear program is “strictly for peaceful purposes,” a position consistently maintained by Tehran despite international scrutiny.

Ahmad Haghtalab, a Revolutionary Guards commander, last week indicated that Israeli threats could compel Iran to "review its nuclear doctrine and deviate from its previous considerations."

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had previously issued a fatwa banning the development of nuclear weapons.

However, nuclear experts are almost unanimous in their assessment that enrichment to the levels and in the amounts that Iran has been doing since 2021 cannot be justified in the absence of a weapons program.

Despite Kanaani's reassurance of peaceful intentions, he addressed recent regional escalations, particularly the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel earlier this month, which Tehran says was a retaliatory act for the attack on its consulate in Damascus.

He described a subsequent Friday attack on Isfahan, attributed to Israel, as a "provocative act" and warned, "We will respond decisively and more strongly to any aggressive action from any source."

The incident at Isfahan has further strained relations, with reports from The New York Times indicating significant damage to a defense radar near Natanz, Iran’s principal nuclear site, after the attack on 8th Shekari Air Base.