CNN: Iran could build nuclear weapons if Israel invades
Iran has no plans to build nuclear weapons, but a military escalation by Israel could push its leaders to develop one, Seyed Hossein Mousavi, a former Iranian diplomat who negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers, told CNN.
He said Iran had been open about its nuclear program and allowed inspections by the IAEA. However, the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, he said, had created a perception that the West was seeking to change the Iranian regime by force.
"This narrative tells the Iranians: even if there is complete transparency, even if all nuclear issues are resolved, the US and Israel will still attack. And that is why, they say, Iran needs nuclear deterrence – that is, a nuclear bomb," explained Moussavian.
In his opinion, this is exactly how the current position of Washington and Tel Aviv is perceived: as a call for Iran to create nuclear weapons as the only reliable means of defense.
"If this policy continues, Iran will turn to a nuclear bomb," he said.
At the same time, the former diplomat emphasized that "war against Iran" would not be effective in stopping the country's nuclear program, since it cannot "destroy the know-how."
"The best solution is to return to diplomacy, not war," Moussavian concluded.
- On June 17, CNN reported that Iran was not actively developing nuclear weapons. And if it wanted to , it could do so in no sooner than three years.
- On June 19, The Guardian reported that Trump did not approve a strike on Iran due to doubts about the effectiveness of the GBU-57 bomb.
- The White House said Trump would make a decision on Iran within two weeks.
