Iranian nuclear agency chief says country can defend itself even without nuclear weapons

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran’s nuclear agency chief, Mohammad Eslami, says that nuclear weapons have “no place” in the country’s military doctrine and that Iran is fully capable of defending itself without them.

Eslami made these remarks on Saturday in an interview with a local media outlet, emphasizing that Iran does not need nuclear weapons and possesses the necessary deterrence even without a nuclear bomb.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump warned Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions to avoid military confrontation while announcing that a massive naval fleet is currently en route to the country.

Iran has frequently accused the United Nations nuclear watchdog of politicizing its nuclear program and has even blamed the IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, for facilitating Israel’s attack on Iranian facilities in June of last year.

Eslami pointed to the “political nature” of Iran’s nuclear dossier and the external pressures on the IAEA chief, saying Tehran not only cannot hope for the file to be closed but also expects these pressures to intensify.

He noted that negotiations have taken place over many years, with various Iranian governments engaging politically, resulting in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement.

However, he added, the US and three European countries (UK, Germany, and France) failed to uphold the deal and eventually ended it through the snapback mechanism late last year.

Describing the bombings of Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 12-day war in June 2025 as “unprecedented,” Eslami stressed that attacks on nuclear sites are prohibited under international law and the UN Charter.

He added that all bombed facilities are registered with the IAEA and remain under the UN agency’s “strict supervision.”

Iran, the official stated, remains a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and complies with safeguards, although cooperation with the IAEA has been suspended by the Iranian parliament “for the security of nuclear facilities and personnel.”

Eslami said the inspections of damaged sites have been suspended, but those of undamaged sites continue. He accused the IAEA of failing to take any action following the attacks.

“We face active threats daily; Israeli and American officials openly threaten us. We remain in a wartime security situation. Naturally, we have established and approved procedures for such conditions and strictly follow them,” he said.

The nuclear agency chief called on the IAEA to “act professionally and independently according to its statute” and to clarify what measures would be taken if nuclear sites are attacked.

Looking ahead to the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting in March, Eslami predicted increased pressure on Iran, including the possibility of the agency referring Iran’s file to the UN Security Council.

He said the production of uranium enriched to 60% serves “future national needs,” such as nuclear propulsion, as previous enrichment levels did not fulfill those requirements.

During the June war, the US bombed three main Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, after which President Trump claimed that Iran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated.” Iranian officials neither confirmed nor denied this claim at the time.

Eslami reiterated that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, invoking the religious decree (fatwa) issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Meanwhile, calls are growing within Iran for the country’s leader to reconsider his stance on the country’s non-nuclear military doctrine amid escalating threats from the US and Israel.