Iranian Hardliners Call for Nuclear Armament: "Nuclear Deterrence Essential for Peace"

Hardliners in Iran have raised arguments that nuclear armament is necessary to gain an upper hand in negotiations with the United States.

On June 29 (local time), the semi-official Fars News Agency, which voices the opinions of conservative hardliners in Iran, argued in a commentary that "to achieve the peace and stability that Iran needs, it must secure nuclear deterrence."

The media outlet claimed that since the United States began secret contacts with China after it successfully tested an atomic bomb in the mid-1960s, Iran should follow the same path.

The logic is that Iran must possess nuclear weapons to be able to negotiate with the U.S. on equal footing.

However, the argument for nuclear development contradicts the clause in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran, which stipulates that "Iran shall not acquire or develop nuclear weapons."

It appears that Fars News Agency’s proposal, which runs counter to the MOU, is part of a strategy by Iranian hardliners to strengthen their bargaining power following the recent exchanges of hostilities with the U.S. in the Strait of Hormuz.

Fars News Agency is known to be linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and has repeatedly made hardline demands, such as canceling negotiations with the U.S. and closing the Strait of Hormuz.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.