After War With the U.S., Iranians Call for Nuclear Weapons as Debate Widens

Calls spread beyond hard-liners

At Friday prayers and public rallies, some Iranian religious figures and government officials have pressed for a change in the country’s nuclear policy. They argue that Iran should build a nuclear weapon to strengthen its ability to deter threats.

The position was once viewed as marginal, but it is increasingly part of mainstream discussion. That change could have major consequences for a government that has long described its nuclear program as peaceful.

A rallying cry in Kuhdasht

Ali Sepahvand, a Friday prayer leader in the western city of Kuhdasht, urged Iran to obtain nuclear arms last week. A widely shared video showed worshippers responding with chants supporting nuclear deterrence as a right.

Religious pledge faces pressure

For decades, Iranian officials have backed a religious edict by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that prohibits developing or using nuclear weapons. Issued by Khamenei as head of Iran’s theocratic state, the decree applies to state institutions, including the military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.