Iran FM Reaffirms No Nuclear Weapons Policy Amid War

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on Wednesday that the country's longstanding opposition to developing nuclear weapons is unlikely to shift, even following the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Speaking to Al Jazeera in comments relayed by Iranian media, Araqchi emphasized continuity in Tehran's nuclear doctrine amid questions about the new leadership under Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The war began on February 28, with Khamenei killed in its early stages. He had issued a fatwa, or religious edict, in the early 2000s prohibiting the production of weapons of mass destruction. Iranian officials have long maintained that their nuclear program serves only civilian purposes, such as energy production and medical research. Western nations, including the United States and Israel, have repeatedly accused Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities, allegations Iran denies.

Araqchi noted that fatwas are tied to the issuing Islamic jurist and that Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet publicly outlined his positions on nuclear policy or related jurisprudential matters. "Fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist...