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W sytuacji doniesień o przygotowywanych porozumieniach USA-Iran w celu zamrożenia status quo w sprawie irańskiego programu nuklearnego – czyli zgody Zachodu na wzbogacanie uranu przez Iran do 60% i składowanie go w Iranie w zamian za uwolnienie irańskich aktywów i zniesienie sankcji oraz możliwość wymiany więźniów – narasta wrażenie, że Zachód wierzy, że takie porozumienia faktycznie doprowadzą do zamrożenia status quo i stabilizacji na irańskiej scenie nuklearnej.
Rzeczywistość jest jednak taka, że Iran w żaden sposób nie wycofuje się ze swoich wysiłków na rzecz budowy broni jądrowej, wykorzystuje każdą okazję do rozwijania swoich możliwości technologicznych w tym celu i od lat wprowadza w błąd społeczność międzynarodową i kłamie co do swoich zamiarów, jednocześnie szeroko nagłaśniając swój cel, jakim jest legalne osiągnięcie statusu progu jądrowego, i kontynuuje to do dziś.
Wynika to jasno z rocznych raportów wywiadowczych trzech krajów europejskich, z których wynika, że elementy irańskie podejmują wysiłki w Europie w celu uzyskania w Europie materiałów i know-how do atomowej, biologicznej i chemicznej (ABC) broni masowego rażenia (zob.Iran’s Illicit Procurement Related To Weapons Of Mass Destruction In The Netherlands, Sweden, And Germany During 2022, opublikowane 21 czerwca 2023 r.). Wynika to również z raportów Międzynarodowej Agencji Energii Atomowej (MAEA) w latach przed zawarciem umowy nuklearnej JCPOA z 2015 r. i po 2018 r., kiedy prezydent Trump ogłosił, że USA wycofują się z niej w związku z podejrzaną irańską działalnością nuklearną i brakiem współpracy Iranu z inspektorami MAEA . Kolejnymi dowodami są ostrzeżenia europejskiej trojki – Wielkiej Brytanii, Francji i Niemiec, czyli E3 – na posiedzeniu Rady Gubernatorów MAEA w czerwcu 2023 r., że działalność Iranu stanowi „wyraźne zagrożenie dla bezpieczeństwa regionalnego i globalnego” (szczegóły w raporcie).
W przemówieniu z 11 czerwca 2023 r. irański najwyższy przywódca Ali Chamenei przemawiał do przedstawicieli irańskiego przemysłu nuklearnego na wystawie osiągnięć tego przemysłu. Powtórzył twierdzenie, że „produkcja broni masowego rażenia (nuklearnej lub chemicznej) jest sprzeczna z islamem”, ale to słabe sformułowanie nie wspomina o fałszywym twierdzeniu, które było wygłaszane przez wiele lat przez irańskich przedstawicieli reżimu – że Chamenei wydał fatwę zakazującą produkcji, posiadania lub użycia broni jądrowej. Chamenei nawet podkreślił: „Gdyby to nie była islamska zasada i gdybyśmy mieli wolę zbudowania broni nuklearnej, zrobilibyśmy to. Nawet wrogowie wiedzą, że nie mogą nas powstrzymać”.
Podobne oświadczenia złożył 22 lutego 2021 r., na krótko przed wejściem w życie decyzji irańskiego reżimu o zaprzestaniu wdrażania protokołu dodatkowego (protokół dodatkowy umożliwia inspektorom MAEA przeprowadzanie szybkich inspekcji w irańskich obiektach jądrowych). Wyjaśnił wówczas, że jeśli reżim irański zdecyduje się zdobyć broń nuklearną, ani Izrael, ani Stany Zjednoczone nie będą w stanie temu zapobiec (patrz MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 1559, Iran Uses 'Maximum Pressure’ On Biden Administration – Part II: Supreme Leader Khamenei: 'If The Islamic Republic [Of Iran] Decided To Obtain Nuclear Weapons, Neither You [The Zionist Clown] Nor Those Greater Than You [The U.S.] Would Be Able To Stop It’).
Ponadto, w swoim przemówieniu z 11 czerwca Chamenei podkreślił znaczenie irańskiego przemysłu nuklearnego – który, jak twierdzi Iran, jest całkowicie poświęcony cywilnym celom nuklearnym – jako fundamentalnego elementu „siły i prestiżu Iranu”. Nie ulega wątpliwości, że to niecodzienne sformułowanie odnosiło się do stałych postępów Iranu w kierunku broni jądrowej – a nie np. produkcji energii elektrycznej czy leków.
Należy zauważyć, że w tych oświadczeniach dotyczących kwestii nuklearnej skierowanych do przedstawicieli przemysłu, Chamenei nie wspomniał o twierdzeniu często powtarzanym przez przedstawicieli reżimu, że wydał fatwę zakazującą broni nuklearnej.
Poniżej znajdują się fragmenty przemówienia Chameneiego z 11 czerwca 2023 r., z MEMRI Daily Brief „Khamenei’s 'Nuclear Fatwa,’ Once Again,” oraz ostrzeżenia MAEA i E3 o działalności nuklearnej Iranu odpowiednio w maju i czerwcu 2023 r. Aneks zawiera listę wszystkich raportów MEMRI na temat nieistniejącej fatwy Chameneiego.
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Khamenei: „The Nuclear Industry Is One Of The Fundamental Elements Of Iran’s Strength And Prestige”
The following are highlights of Khamenei’s June 11, 2023 speech on nuclear weapons:
„The transformation of [Iran’s] nuclear industry into one based on domestic production is very important, and teaches us about the failure of the West… The nuclear industry is one of the fundamental elements of Iran’s strength and prestige… The West’s claim regarding [its] 'fear of the production of nuclear weapons [in Iran]’ is a false one. They themselves know that we are not pursuing nuclear weapons, since the American intelligence community has repeatedly acknowledged the fact, including in recent months, that there is no sign of an Iranian move towards building a nuclear weapon.
„If it were not an Islamic principle, and if we had the will to build nuclear weapons, we would do so. Even the enemies know that they cannot stop us. Producing weapons of mass destruction (whether nuclear or chemical) is against Islam.”[1]
MEMRI Report „Khamenei’s 'Nuclear Fatwa’ Once Again” Reiterates, As Do Many Other MEMRI Reports, That This Fatwa Does Not Exist
It should be emphasized yet again that Khamenei’s fatwa banning nuclear weapons that regime officials have repeatedly cited was never published and does not exist. Even the 2022 book by Professor Seyed Hossein Mousavian of Princeton University and Dr. Shameer Modongal of Kerala University – Religion and Nuclear Weapons, A Study of Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan (Vij Books India Pvt Ltd, 2022, 120 pp.), presents no evidence as to its existence. MEMRI Daily Brief No. 433, Khamenei’s „Nuclear Fatwa,” Once Again, published November 29, 2022, analyzes in detail how the Iranian leadership is using the false claim of a fatwa attributed to Khamenei.
The fact is that no declaration by Khamenei against possessing nuclear weapons was published on either of his two official fatwa websites. Furthermore, Khamenei even ruled, as part of his jurisdiction, on March 15, 2012 in response to a question that had been submitted via Facebook concerning whether it is permitted to possess nuclear weapons, in light of his alleged declaration that this is forbidden. He ruled: „Your letter has no jurisprudential aspect. When it has a jurisprudential position, then it will be possible to answer it.” He concluded the exchange with a statement in the official structure of a fatwa: „No answer was given.”
Furthermore, in his Persian New Year address on March 20, 2011, he mocked then-Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi for handing over his nuclear installations to the U.S.: „This gentleman wrapped up all his nuclear facilities, packed them on a ship, and delivered them to the West and said, 'Take them!’ Look in what position our nation is, and in what position they [the Libyans] are now.”
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The MEMRI Daily Brief Khamenei’s „Nuclear Fatwa,” Once Again reviews statements by Iranian regime officials on Iran’s need for nuclear weapons, and discusses the false fatwa and its source.
In this context, see:
MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9938, Fatwa By Iranian Grand Ayatollah: There Is No Ban On Acquiring Knowledge And Practical Capability To Produce A Nuclear Bomb; Iranian Politician: „When We Began Our Nuclear Activity, Our Goal Was Indeed To Build A Bomb,” April 29, 2022
MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 1518, The Iran-U.S. Conflict: Iran Is Working On Obtaining Strategic Capability – Long-Range Missiles And Nuclear Submarines, June 26, 2020.
See also the Appendix for a list of MEMRI reports on the nonexistent nuclear fatwa.
May 2023: IAEA Issues Warning About Iran’s Nuclear Activity
Reports by the IAEA, the body authorized to oversee Iran’s nuclear activity, have warned that Iran is very close to developing nuclear weapons. The IAEA Board Of Governors stated on May 31, 2023 that Iran is violating the conditions of the JCPOA deal, enriching uranium to 60% – far exceeding the permitted 3.75% – as well as stockpiling enriched uranium in quantities greater than allowed – 4.7 metric tons instead of the permitted 300 kg enriched to 5% only. Iran, which to date has 114 kg of 60% uranium (which has no civilian use) is obstructing IAEA inspectors at its facilities and has for years been accused of ongoing failure to cooperate with the agency. The IAEA noted in its May 31, 2023 report that as of „the meeting of the Board of Governors in June 2022, the Agency was still seeking explanations from Iran” regarding disputes over two nuclear facilities and the installation of monitoring measures at the facilities.[2]
June 2023: E3 Warns At Board of Governors Meeting: „[Iran’s] Activities Show That Iran Has Built Capabilities Suitable For Enrichment For Nuclear Weapons Purposes”
The E3 issued a joint warning at the June 6, 2023 meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors concerning Iran’s activities, which it called „a clear threat to regional and global security.” The following are excerpts from the warning:
„Iran has unabatedly continued escalating its nuclear programme beyond civilian justification, and has displayed little will to implement the transparency commitments laid out in the Joint Statement agreed last March.
„First, on the state of the nuclear programme, the Director General’s report shows Iran continues down its path of significant nuclear escalation… All of us on this Board must see this as a major expansion of Iran’s nuclear programme, raising serious questions about the intent of its activities.”
The E3 also warned about Iran’s continued production of uranium metal:
„The detection last January of uranium particles enriched to 83.7% U-235 highlights the seriousness of Iran’s continuing escalation. This enrichment was grossly inconsistent with the level declared by Iran and constituted an unprecedented and extremely grave development, for which there is no credible civilian justification.
„While the Director General reports that the information provided was 'not inconsistent’ with Iran’s explanations, the significance of the detection of undeclared changes made to the cascade configuration at Fordow should be fully understood:”
„First, this step, along with Iran’s wider nuclear programme, brought Iran dangerously close to actual weapons-related activities. Second, Iran is still using a configuration which can enable the production of high enriched material at levels considerably over 60%, showing Iran’s disregard for the gravity of this development.
„The circumstances of its discovery through an unannounced inspection, as well as the large-scale accumulation of highly enriched [60%] uranium, continue to ring alarm bells. These actions show Iran has built capabilities suitable for enrichment for nuclear weapons purposes. It is the responsibility of the international community, and particularly of this Board, to call upon Iran not to engage in enrichment activities that raise serious questions about its intent, particularly given Iran’s historical track record.
„Such overall escalation comes at a point when the Agency has been without access to data on centrifuge and component manufacturing for more than two years. As reiterated in the report, Iran’s decision to stop cooperating with the monitoring and verification activities agreed in the JCPOA means the Agency would no longer be able to re-establish continuity of knowledge even in the event of a full JCPOA resumption. Iran’s decision to remove Agency surveillance and monitoring equipment has had detrimental implications for the Agency’s ability to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
„We urge Iran to re-install all equipment in all the locations deemed necessary by the IAEA, and to provide all the footage from the cameras, including data recorded from February 2021 to June 2022. This should be done without delay. We also recall that, under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, Iran is legally obliged to implement Modified Code 3.1. and cannot change its application or withdraw from it unilaterally.
„We deeply regret that Iran did not accept the fair and balanced deal that the JCPOA Coordinator tabled almost a year ago, and instead chose to accelerate its programme. Iran bears full responsibility for this situation. We urge Iran to immediately stop and reverse its nuclear escalation, and allow for complete transparency with the IAEA by re-applying the Additional Protocol…”[3]
*A. Savyon is Director of the MEMRI Iran Media Project.
Appendix: MEMRI Reports On Khamenei’s Nonexistent Nuclear Fatwa
The following are MEMRI reports on the issue of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s fatwa banning nuclear weapons – which does not exist:
- Inquiry & Analysis No. 825, Renewed Iran-West Nuclear Talks – Part II: Tehran Attempts to Deceive U.S. President Obama, Sec’y of State Clinton With Nonexistent Anti-Nuclear Weapons Fatwa By Supreme Leader Khamenei, April 19, 2012
- Special Dispatch No. 5406, Release Of Compilation Of Newest Fatwas By Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei – Without Alleged Fatwa About Nuclear Bomb, August 13, 2013
- Special Dispatch No. 5461, President Obama Endorses The Lie About Khamenei’s 'Fatwa’ Against Nuclear Weapons, September 29, 2013
- Inquiry & Analysis No.1022, The Official Iranian Version Regarding Khamenei’s Alleged Anti-Nuclear Weapons Fatwa Is A Lie, October 3, 2013.
- Special Dispatch No. 5574, Iranian President Hassan Rohani In Article In Saudi Daily: While Avoiding Confrontation And Hostility, We Shall Be Diligent In Pursuing Our Supreme Interests, December 23, 2013
- Special Dispatch No. 5681, Prominent Iranian Analyst, Author, And Columnist Amir Taheri: Nobody Has Actually Seen Khamenei’s Anti-Nuclear Fatwa, Which Obama Often Quotes, March 17, 2014.
- Inquiry & Analysis No. 1080, U.S. Secretary Of State Kerry In New And Unprecedented Statement: 'President Obama And I Are Both Extremely Welcoming And Grateful For The Fact That [Iranian] Supreme Leader [Khamenei] Has Issued A [Nonexistent] Fatwa’ Banning Nuclear Weapons, March 31, 2014
- Special Dispatch No. 5881, Tehran Again Offers Khamenei’s Nonexistent Fatwa In Negotiations As A Guarantee That It Is Not Developing Nuclear Weapon, November 14, 2014.
- Inquiry and Analysis No.1151, Iranian Regime Continues Its Lies And Fabrications About Supreme Leader Khamenei’s Nonexistent Fatwa Banning Nuclear Weapons, April 6, 2015.
- Inquiry and Analysis No. 1394, Insights Following Exposure Of Iran’s Military Nuclear Program – Part I: The Leadership Of Iran’s Religious Regime Lies About Essential Islamic Matters, Manipulates Religion To Justify Its Grip On Power, Regional Expansion, May 6, 2018
- Inquiry and Analysis No. 1458, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif Reiterates Iran’s Lie, Promoted By Obama Administration, That Supreme Leader Khamenei Issued Fatwa Banning Nuclear Weapons; No Such Fatwa Ever Existed, May 31, 2019.
[1] Farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=53103, June 11, 2023.
[2] NPT Safeguards Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iaea.org/sites/default/files/23/06/gov2023-26.pdf, May 31, 2023.
[3] E3 Statement at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, June 2023, Wien-io.diplo.de/iow-en/news/statement-e3/2600642, June 6, 2023.