A media outlet affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has asserted that the country has no alternative but to develop a nuclear bomb, a statement that could jeopardize a recent peace agreement with the United States. The article, published by the state news outlet Fars, argued that Iran must achieve nuclear deterrence to negotiate effectively with adversaries.
The piece, titled "No choice but to build the atomic bomb," contends that Iran needs to negotiate from a position of strength to secure the "peace and calm" it requires. It draws a historical parallel between Iran's current situation with the U.S. and China's stance in the 1970s, citing Henry Kissinger's secret meetings with Chinese officials after China developed atomic weapons, following earlier U.S. nuclear threats.
According to the outlet, "Nuclear deterrence means that you can reach a balance of power against America and Israel, who possess atomic bombs — not so that war does not happen, but so that the scope of conflict remains controllable." This statement suggests a strategic aim to deter potential conflict through the threat of nuclear capability, rather than solely to prevent war.
This development follows an interim Memorandum of Understanding signed between Washington and Tehran earlier this month. Under this agreement, Iran committed to allowing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors renewed access to its nuclear sites, which had been suspended the previous year. As part of the same agreement, Iran also pledged not to pursue the development of nuclear weapons. The U.S. has reportedly called on Iran to halt all nuclear enrichment activities for a period of 20 years.