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Iran can technically make a nuclear bomb, but has not decided whether to make it, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hamenei’s senior adviser told Al Jazeera TV in Qatar on Sunday.
Kamal Haraj said he vowed to prevent Iran from “acquiring nuclear weapons” the day after US President Joe Biden finished his four-day trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Karasi’s comment was a rare suggestion that Iran may be interested in nuclear weapons.
“In a few days, we were able to enrich up to 60% uranium, making it easier to produce 90% enriched uranium … Iran has the technical means to make a nuclear bomb, but Iran is the nuclear weapon. There was no decision to make a bomb, “Karaji said.
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Iran has already been enriched to up to 60%, well above Tehran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with the world’s major powers, which is 3.67%. 90% enriched uranium is suitable for nuclear bombs.
In 2018, former US President Donald Trump abandoned the nuclear deal, under which Iran curbed uranium enrichment, a potential route to nuclear weapons, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
In response to Washington’s withdrawal and re-enforcement of strict sanctions, Tehran began to violate the nuclear restrictions of the agreement.
Last year, Iran’s intelligence minister said Western pressure could urge Tehran to seek nuclear weapons. The development of nuclear weapons was banned by fatwas or religious decree in the early 2000s.
Iran said it is refining uranium solely for private energy use, saying that if the United States lifts sanctions and rejoins the agreement, the breach of the international agreement can be undone.
A rough outline of the revived deal was basically agreed in March after 11 months of indirect negotiations between Tehran and the Biden administration in Vienna.
But then, just as Trump did, negotiations broke down over obstacles, including Tehran’s request that Washington should ensure that the US president would not abandon the deal.
Biden cannot promise this because nuclear transactions are a non-binding political understanding and not a legally binding treaty.
“The United States does not provide any guarantees on the maintenance of nuclear deals, which undermines the possibility of any agreement,” Karasi said.
The White House accuses Iran of giving Russia “hundreds” of drones
Israel, which Iran is not aware of, threatens to attack Iran’s nuclear site if diplomacy fails to contain Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
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Mr Haraj said Iran would never negotiate ballistic missile programs and regional policies, as required by its Western and Middle Eastern allies.
“Our security targets from neighboring countries will be met with a direct response to these countries and Israel.”