(Bloomberg Opinion) As red herrings go, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s “fatwa,” or religious ruling, against nukes has grown funky with age. But that hasn’t stopped officials in Tehran from airing it when convenient, or kept their counterparts in Washington from breathing it in.
This week, a key figure in Iran’s security establishment signaled a potential change in the country’s nuclear calculations. Also, Iran further reduced its compliance in the nuclear deal and has detained another U.S. dual national. For a breakdown and analysis of these events, please see below:
U.S. and Iran Remain at Impasse; Iran Continues to Further Reduce Compliance in JCPOA
Iranian Intelligence Minister’s Comments Signal Possible Change in Nuclear Policy Thinking
In a televised interview with Iranian state TV, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said that “Our nuclear program is a peaceful program and the supreme leader clearly said in his fatwa that producing nuclear weapons is against religious law and the Islamic Republic will not pursue it and considers it forbidden,” he said on state television. “But let me tell you, if you corner a cat it might behave differently than a cat roaming free. If they push Iran in that direction, it would not be Iran’s fault b
Tehran and Washington are indirectly sending messages that are also aimed at the Saudis and Israelis. Any delay could put Biden under pressure at home to block the contacts
Iran s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said yesterday that a member of the country s armed forces was involved in the assassination of chief nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in November.
Iran’s foreign minister threatened that the country will expand its nuclear program if the United States doesn’t take a “new approach” toward the Iranian nuclear program.