Iran's nuclear quest defies monopoly of hegemonic powers, atomic chief says

Iran’s top nuclear official said global powers are determined to block technological advancements by other nations, arguing that they see nuclear energy as their exclusive domain.

“Foreign disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program and cases of industrial sabotage stem from resistance to Iran’s scientific progress,” Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said on Tuesday.

Eslami added that Iran has had a growth in the heavy water industry and plan to produce 20,000 megawatts of nuclear energy by 2041. He also cited medical advancements made possible by nuclear technology, calling them a national achievement.

Iran has denied seeking a nuclear weapon, but Israel has long contended that a bomb in the hands of its arch-enemy poses an existential threat.

On Friday, exiled opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran insisted Tehran is secretly developing nuclear warheads designed for long-range missiles.

Tehran is working on the production of solid-fuel, nuclear-capable missiles at the Shahroud facility in northeastern Iran, the group said at a press conference in Washington, citing what it called sources inside the country without elaborating.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised alarm about Iran's uranium enrichment levels reaching 60%—a purity that can be rapidly enhanced to weapons-grade.

Western governments argue there is no civilian need for enrichment at such levels.

From 2007 to 2010, several UN Security Council resolutions slammed Iran's nuclear pursuits and imposed sanctions.

Iran has recently carried out military exercises intended to enhance security at key nuclear sites, including Natanz and Fordow, as Israel has again mooted military intervention as a viable option to quash Iran's nuclear ambitions.