TEHRAN – After years of fruitless diplomacy surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, the Iranian people and the media appear to be in support of the change in the country’s nuclear doctrine following the full-scale war imposed on Iran in June.
The monthly letter from around 70 lawmakers to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) was widely reissued by Iranian media. The letter urges the country’s finest security agencies to rethink Iran’s longstanding nuclear and military doctrines. Iran’s long-standing nuclear and military doctrines have been questioned by many after a 12-day war launched by Israel and the United States earlier this year. The war targeted Iranian civilian, military and nuclear infrastructure.
Also, new debate follows the rise in Iran’s European pressure. In late August, Europeans sparked the so-called snapback mechanism. This is a process that will lead to the recovery of non-JCPOA sanctions against Iran one month after activation. JCPOA signatories can call snapbacks if they consider Iran non-compliant with JCPOA commitments. The deal restricted Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran began to scale back some of its commitments a year and a half after Washington withdrew from the deal, reimposed sanctions and introduced secondary ones. Europe was unable to mitigate the impact of the US embargo and later imposed its own sanctions on unfounded allegations regarding Iran’s involvement in the Ukrainian war. Europe also provided diplomatic and political support to the US and Israel when it attacked Iran’s nuclear sites during ongoing negotiations. This is a blatant violation of international law.
Europeans seem to believe that Iran should fully adhere to the JCPOA despite not receiving the promised benefits from the deal and being exposed to illegal attacks.
Iran said the recovery of UN sanctions would invalidate transactions signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The contract was signed in Cairo earlier this month.
Iranians have also warned that they may consider leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
“What are we waiting for?”
Following a social media post from an Iranian media outlet sharing the MP’s letter, many commenters expressed their dissatisfaction that Iran has not taken “conclusive” actions.
One young man said, “Our nuclear sites have been bombed and the West still wants to sanction us. What are we waiting for? These people don’t want to trade. Even if we close nuclear facilities, they’re still trying to ask for something else. They’re already making bombs.”
The Fatwa (Religious Order) issued by the leaders of the Islamic Revolution several years ago has banned Ali Khamenei, who had seized Ali Khamenei, from the development of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.
After the Israeli attack on Iran and Iran’s nuclear facilities, IAEA Chihulafaer Grossi said he had found no evidence that Iran had moved towards building nuclear weapons, despite the release of a report loaded the day before the attack. Before the attack, Iran’s nuclear sites were subject to the world’s most stringent UN testing. US President Donald Trump said Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “eliminated” by strikes by the US and Israeli strikes.
In a similar post from another media outlet, one citizen asked, “What is Iran afraid of?” He added, “Nothing should have happened already. We signed a contract, they threw it into the drain, and once again entered consultations, they attacked us. We cannot resolve this with these vicious Westerners.”
Like the general public, Iranian analysts and experts are beginning to see their involvement with the West from an increasingly negative perspective. Famous analyst Yousef Azizi told Daneshjoo News Agency that the West “understands the language of deterrence.”
“Iran has to change the equation. Achieving nuclear deterrence is the only remaining option for Iran,” he said.
Many, especially conservatives within Iran, have also called for a forceful response to the European revitalization of snapback mechanisms. Hossein Kanani Mogadam, secretary of Iran’s Green Party, said Iran must expel ambassadors from Germany, France and the UK once sanctions are restored.
Nevertheless, Iranian leadership does not appear to change courses, at least in the short term. Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran will continue to act within the NPT framework despite Western pressure from Draconia. Also, there is no expectation of a major break with Europeans. Foreign Minister Abbas Araguchi will meet with European representatives on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, the Tehran Times understands.