OAN’s Roy Francis
8:30 AM – Wednesday, June 14, 2023
During the Iran nuclear exhibition in Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the West cannot stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“On the basis of our Islamic ideals, we do not want nuclear weapons,” Khamenei said. “But if this wasn’t the case, they would not be able to prevent us from doing so, just like they could not prevent our nuclear advancements so far. There is no problem with a nuclear agreement, but the nuclear industry’s industry must not be touched.”
Khameni also stated that Iran has, and will continue to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
However, Rafael Grossi, the IAEA Director-General, said that Iran only complies with a “fraction” of the nuclear inspection requirements that were agreed on in a deal between the international nuclear agency and Tehran early in 2023.
According to the Beirut-based outlet, Al Mayadeen, the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammed Eslami, defended their actions saying that their decisions to enrich uranium to over 60% purity was as a “strategic measure” meant to lift the current sanctions that have been placed on the country.
In 2020, Iran had passed a law that allows the country to suspend the IAREA’s inspections and increase its uranium enrichment if the sanctions from the West were not lifted. Khameni supported the law and told Iranian officials not to comply with the “excessive and false demands” of the IAEA.
“This is a good law… which must be respected and not violated in providing access and information (to the IAEA),” Khameni said according to Reuters.
The Iranian leader went on to say that a deal over Iran’s nuclear work with the West is possible, however the nuclear infrastructure must remain untouched.
Behnam Ben Taleblu warned that Khameni is “not interested in making Iran a responsible nuclear stakeholder,” according to Fox News.
“He is not interested in making Iran a responsible nuclear stakeholder nor is he enthralled with the idea of a deal,” Taleblu said. “It is all about retaining Iran’s atomic infrastructure as much as possible and by any means possible.”
The IAEA had been negotiating with the Islamic state in order to reinstall monitoring equipment that Iran had ordered removed in 2015, and had closed two investigations into Iran as part of the negotiations in the beginning of June.
Israel objected to the moves and decisions made by the IAEA with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warning that Israel may have to begin taking actions on its own.
“The dangers facing the State of Israel are increasing, and we may be required to fulfill our duty in order to protect the integrity of Israel and especially the future of the Jewish people,” he said when the investigations were cancelled. “The tasks are heavy and the challenges are great. The reality in which we find ourselves is complex, but the State of Israel, the IDF and all the security agencies, will know what to do to ensure Israel’s security in the present and in the future.”
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