Iran Says: No Choice on Nuclear Weapons, Peace Deal Faces Collapse

Iran Signals Nuclear U-Turn As Trump Peace Deal Faces Collapse

A media outlet linked to Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the country has "no choice" but to build a nuclear weapon, raising fresh fears that the fragile peace agreement brokered with the United States could be heading for collapse.

The comments mark one of the strongest public arguments yet from an establishment-linked outlet in favour of Iran acquiring nuclear arms, despite Tehran's recent commitments under its new agreement with Washington.

'No Choice But To Build The Atomic Bomb'

Iranian state-linked news agency Fars published an article bluntly titled "No Choice But To Build The Atomic Bomb," arguing that Iran can only negotiate successfully from a position of nuclear strength.

The article insists that nuclear deterrence is essential if Tehran hopes to secure lasting peace.

"To achieve the peace and calm that Iran needs, it must absolutely reach nuclear deterrence to ensure that the rest of the issues can be resolved through negotiation."

It argues that Iran should follow China's example, claiming Beijing only achieved meaningful negotiations with the United States after successfully developing nuclear weapons.

The article states:

"America threatened China with nuclear attack twice... but negotiations only came after China built the atomic bomb."

It also claims nuclear weapons would create a balance of power with both the United States and Israel.

Direct Challenge To Trump Agreement

The comments appear to sit uneasily alongside the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between Washington and Tehran.

Under the agreement, Iran accepted the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to its nuclear facilities after inspections were suspended last year.

Tehran also pledged not to pursue nuclear weapons as part of efforts to reduce tensions following months of military confrontation.

The United States has continued pressing Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment for the next 20 years as part of a broader long-term settlement.

IAEA Demands Full Access

The latest remarks come as IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi continues pushing for unrestricted access to Iran's nuclear programme.

Speaking on Friday, Grossi stressed that promises alone would not satisfy international concerns.

"The government of Iran has affirmed quite clearly that developing nuclear weapons is not their intention," he said.

"But intentions are not enough."

Grossi said inspectors must have a robust verification system to ensure Iran complies with its commitments.

Peace Deal Under Fresh Pressure

Although the Fars article does not represent an official government policy announcement, its publication by a news outlet closely associated with the Revolutionary Guard is likely to fuel concern in Washington, Jerusalem and among Western allies.

The article openly argues that nuclear capability is the only reliable guarantee of Iran's security and negotiating power — a position that directly challenges the spirit of the recent agreement.

Whether the comments reflect growing divisions inside Iran's leadership or simply an attempt to pressure negotiators remains unclear.

But they add fresh uncertainty to an already fragile diplomatic process that many hoped would reduce the risk of another major confrontation in the Middle East.

SOURCE