Iranian MPs urge government to pursue nuclear weapons development

As many as 71 members of the Iranian parliament have called for the development of nuclear weapons and a revision of the country’s defence doctrine in a letter to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and senior officials.

Imam Khamenei’s 2010 fatwa prohibits the production and use of nuclear weapons, but developing and stockpiling them as a deterrent is a completely different matter, Caliber.Az reports per Sepah Pasdaran Telegram channel.

Meanwhile, public opinion polls conducted locally show that support for building a bomb has grown significantly after the 12-day war.

On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets, dubbed "Operation Rising Lion," citing intelligence that Iran was nearing nuclear weapons capability. This was followed by U.S. strikes on June 21–22, codenamed "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeting three key nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The U.S. deployed 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, or "bunker buster" bombs, to hit the deeply buried Fordow facility, aiming to disrupt Iran's enrichment capacity. President Trump claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, but early U.S. intelligence assessments suggested the damage was limited, setting back Iran's program by only a few months to 1–2 years.  

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel, injuring dozens and escalating the conflict. A fragile ceasefire was brokered by the Trump administration on June 24, 2025, halting direct hostilities. Both sides claimed victory: Israel asserted it had crippled Iran's nuclear ambitions, while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted the nuclear program continued unabated.

By Khagan Isayev