Iran and weapons of mass destruction

Iran is not known to currently possess [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD) and has signed treaties repudiating the possession of WMD including the [[Biological Weapons Convention]] (BWC),<ref name=OPBW /> the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]] (CWC),<ref name="status" /> and the [[Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons|Non-Proliferation Treaty]] (NPT).<ref name="npt">{{cite web

Iran is not known to currently possess [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD) and has signed treaties repudiating the possession of WMD including the [[Biological Weapons Convention]] (BWC),<ref name=OPBW /> the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]] (CWC),<ref name="status" /> and the [[Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons|Non-Proliferation Treaty]] (NPT).<ref name="npt">{{cite web

|url=https://fas.org/nuke/control/npt/text/npt3.htm |access-date=17 April 2006 |title=Signatories and Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons}}</ref> Iran has first-hand knowledge of WMD effects—over 100,000 Iranian troops and civilians were victims of [[Chemical warfare#Iran.E2.80.93Iraq War|chemical weapons]] during the 1980s [[Iran–Iraq War]].<ref name="Bahgat">{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4311832 | jstor=4311832 | title=Nuclear Proliferation: The Islamic Republic of Iran | last1=Bahgat | first1=Gawdat | journal=Iranian Studies | date=2006 | volume=39 | issue=3 | pages=307–327 }}</ref><ref name="r1">Center for Documents of The Imposed War, Tehran. (مرکز مطالعات و تحقیقات جنگ)</ref>

|url=https://fas.org/nuke/control/npt/text/npt3.htm |access-date=17 April 2006 |title=Signatories and Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons}}</ref> Iran has called for [[List of states with nuclear weapons|nuclear weapons states]] to [[Nuclear disarmament|disarm]] and for the Middle East to be a [[Nuclear-weapon-free zone|nuclear weapon free zone]].<ref name="IranDAConf" /> Iran has first-hand knowledge of WMD effects—over 100,000 Iranian troops and civilians were victims of [[Chemical warfare#Iran.E2.80.93Iraq War|chemical weapons]] during the 1980s [[Iran–Iraq War]].<ref name="Bahgat">{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4311832 | jstor=4311832 | title=Nuclear Proliferation: The Islamic Republic of Iran | last1=Bahgat | first1=Gawdat | journal=Iranian Studies | date=2006 | volume=39 | issue=3 | pages=307–327 }}</ref><ref name="r1">Center for Documents of The Imposed War, Tehran. (مرکز مطالعات و تحقیقات جنگ)</ref>

In 2003 the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]], [[Ayatollah]] [[Ali Khamenei]], along with other clerics, issued a public and categorical religious decree (''[[Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons|fatwa]]'') against the development, production, stockpiling and use of [[nuclear weapon]]s,<ref name="sfc31oct03" /><ref name="Ayatollah_NoWMD">{{cite web |url=http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0711090297152426.htm |title=Ayat. Kashani: N-bomb production religiously forbidden |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406013628/http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0711090297152426.htm |archive-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> though they are approved by some relatively minor clerics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Raman|first=Suby|title=Did the IAEA report undermine Khamenei's religious authority?|date=22 November 2011|url=http://subyraman.com/did-the-iaea-report-undermine-khameneis-religious-authority/|work=Tabeer|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425234105/http://subyraman.com/did-the-iaea-report-undermine-khameneis-religious-authority/|archive-date=25 April 2012}}</ref> Later versions of this fatwa forbid only the "use" of nuclear weapons, but said nothing about their production.<ref>{{cite news|author=Glenn Kessler|title=Did Iran's supreme leader issue a Fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2013/11/27/did-irans-supreme-leader-issue-a-fatwa-against-the-development-of-nuclear-weapons/?variant=116ae929826d1fd3}}</ref> Iran has stated its uranium enrichment program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hA01f9zNaIJ4IK_Hcuwqy4zf6MWg |title=''AFP'':Six powers to meet soon over Iran's nuclear program |date=15 January 2008 |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218110855/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hA01f9zNaIJ4IK_Hcuwqy4zf6MWg |archive-date=18 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=207020|title=Iran wants new nuclear fuel talks|date=2 November 2009|website=tehrantimes.com|access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref> The IAEA has confirmed the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran but has also said it "needs to have confidence in the absence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program."<ref>{{cite news

In 2003 the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]], [[Ayatollah]] [[Ali Khamenei]], along with other clerics, issued a public and categorical religious decree (''[[Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons|fatwa]]'') against the development, production, stockpiling and use of [[nuclear weapon]]s,<ref name="sfc31oct03" /><ref name="Ayatollah_NoWMD">{{cite web |url=http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0711090297152426.htm |title=Ayat. Kashani: N-bomb production religiously forbidden |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406013628/http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0711090297152426.htm |archive-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> though they are approved by some relatively minor clerics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Raman|first=Suby|title=Did the IAEA report undermine Khamenei's religious authority?|date=22 November 2011|url=http://subyraman.com/did-the-iaea-report-undermine-khameneis-religious-authority/|work=Tabeer|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425234105/http://subyraman.com/did-the-iaea-report-undermine-khameneis-religious-authority/|archive-date=25 April 2012}}</ref> Later versions of this fatwa forbid only the "use" of nuclear weapons, but said nothing about their production.<ref>{{cite news|author=Glenn Kessler|title=Did Iran's supreme leader issue a Fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2013/11/27/did-irans-supreme-leader-issue-a-fatwa-against-the-development-of-nuclear-weapons/?variant=116ae929826d1fd3}}</ref> Iran has stated its uranium enrichment program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hA01f9zNaIJ4IK_Hcuwqy4zf6MWg |title=''AFP'':Six powers to meet soon over Iran's nuclear program |date=15 January 2008 |access-date=23 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218110855/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hA01f9zNaIJ4IK_Hcuwqy4zf6MWg |archive-date=18 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=207020|title=Iran wants new nuclear fuel talks|date=2 November 2009|website=tehrantimes.com|access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref> The IAEA has confirmed the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran but has also said it "needs to have confidence in the absence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program."<ref>{{cite news

In November 2009, the [[IAEA Board of Governors]] adopted<ref>[http://www.france24.com/en/node/4935014 ''France24'': UN atomic watchdog censures Iran: diplomats ]{{dead link|date=November 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}<blockquote>Of the 35-member Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 25 countries voted in favour of the resolution, diplomats said. Three countries – Venezuela, Malaysia and Cuba – voted against the resolution. Six countries – Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey – abstained. One country, Azerbaijan, was absent from the vote.</blockquote></ref> a resolution against Iran which urged Iran to apply the modified Code 3.1 to its Safeguard Agreement,<ref name="BOG112709">{{cite web |title=Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran |url=http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2009/gov2009-82.pdf |access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref> urged Iran to implement and ratify the Additional Protocol,<ref name="BOG112709" /> and expressed "serious concern" that Iran had not cooperated on issues that needed "to be clarified to exclude the possibility of military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program."<ref name="BOGRES2">{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Helene |date=27 November 2009 |title=''New York Times'': Iran Censured Over Nuclear Program by U.N. Watchdog |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/28nuke.html?_r=1&hp |access-date=23 November 2011 |work=The New York Times |location=Iran;Russia;China}}</ref> Iran said the "hasty and undue" resolution would "jeopardize the conducive environment vitally needed" for successful negotiations.<ref name="BOGRES2" />

In November 2009, the [[IAEA Board of Governors]] adopted<ref>[http://www.france24.com/en/node/4935014 ''France24'': UN atomic watchdog censures Iran: diplomats ]{{dead link|date=November 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}<blockquote>Of the 35-member Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 25 countries voted in favour of the resolution, diplomats said. Three countries – Venezuela, Malaysia and Cuba – voted against the resolution. Six countries – Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey – abstained. One country, Azerbaijan, was absent from the vote.</blockquote></ref> a resolution against Iran which urged Iran to apply the modified Code 3.1 to its Safeguard Agreement,<ref name="BOG112709">{{cite web |title=Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran |url=http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2009/gov2009-82.pdf |access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref> urged Iran to implement and ratify the Additional Protocol,<ref name="BOG112709" /> and expressed "serious concern" that Iran had not cooperated on issues that needed "to be clarified to exclude the possibility of military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program."<ref name="BOGRES2">{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Helene |date=27 November 2009 |title=''New York Times'': Iran Censured Over Nuclear Program by U.N. Watchdog |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/28nuke.html?_r=1&hp |access-date=23 November 2011 |work=The New York Times |location=Iran;Russia;China}}</ref> Iran said the "hasty and undue" resolution would "jeopardize the conducive environment vitally needed" for successful negotiations.<ref name="BOGRES2" />

In a 2007 [[National Intelligence Estimate]], the [[United States Intelligence Community]] assessed that Iran had ended all "nuclear weapon design and weaponization work" in 2003.<ref>[http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122022043/http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf|date=22 November 2010}}, National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007.</ref> In 2009, U.S. intelligence assessed that Iranian intentions were unknown.<ref name="CRS09">{{cite web |title=''Federation of American Scientists'': Iran's Nuclear Program: Status |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL34544.pdf |access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://intelligence.senate.gov/090212/blair.pdf Dennis Blair: Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2009)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812234539/http://intelligence.senate.gov/090212/blair.pdf|date=12 August 2009}}<blockquote>We judge in fall 2003 Tehran halted its nuclear weapons design and weaponization activities and that the halt lasted at least several years... Although we do not know whether Iran currently intends to develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them... develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them.</blockquote></ref> In 2009, some European intelligence agencies said they believe Iran has resumed its alleged nuclear weapons design work.<ref>{{cite news |last=Broad |first=William J. |author2=DAVID E. SANGER |date=3 October 2009 |title=Report Says Iran Has Data to Make a Nuclear Bomb |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/world/middleeast/04nuke.html |access-date=25 October 2009 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In 2010 and 2011, the senior officers of all of the major American intelligence agencies stated that there was no conclusive evidence that Iran has made any attempt to produce nuclear weapons since 2003.<ref>[http://www.richardsilverstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Hersh-6-6-11.pdf Iran and the Bomb], [[Seymour Hersh]], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', 30 June 2011.</ref> In 2011, then Russian president [[Dmitry Medvedev]] said Iran was close to having the capability to produce nuclear weapons.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 July 2010 |title=Medvedev: Iran Nearer to Nuclear Weapons Potential |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/medvedev-iran-nearer-to-nuclear-weapons-potential-98239489/121707.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511094336/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Medvedev-Iran-Nearer-to-Nuclear-Weapons-Potential-98239489.html |archive-date=11 May 2012 |access-date=23 November 2011 |publisher=.voanews.com}}</ref> Then U.S. [[Defense Secretary]] [[Leon Panetta]] stated in January 2012 that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, but was not attempting to produce nuclear weapons.<ref name="autogenerated4">[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/world/middleeast/iran-will-soon-move-uranium-work-underground-official-says.html?pagewanted=2 Iran Trumpets Nuclear Ability at a Second Location], ''The New York Times'', 8 January 2012.</ref> In February 2012, sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies, including the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]], reported that Iran was pursuing research that could enable it to produce nuclear weapons, but was not attempting to do so.<ref name="LATimesFeb2013">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-feb-23-la-fg-iran-intel-20120224-story.html U.S. does not believe Iran is trying to build nuclear bomb], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 23 February 2012.</ref> In December 2014, a [[Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control]] report based on [[IAEA]] data concluded that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear warhead in 1.7 months.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iran's Nuclear Timetable |url=http://www.iranwatch.org/our-publications/articles-reports/irans-nuclear-timetable |access-date=8 February 2015}}.</ref> Iran has called for [[List of states with nuclear weapons|nuclear weapons states]] to [[Nuclear disarmament|disarm]] and for the Middle East to be a [[Nuclear-weapon-free zone|nuclear weapon free zone]].<ref name="IranDAConf" />

In a 2007 [[National Intelligence Estimate]], the [[United States Intelligence Community]] assessed that Iran had ended all "nuclear weapon design and weaponization work" in 2003.<ref>[http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122022043/http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf|date=22 November 2010}}, National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007.</ref> In 2009, U.S. intelligence assessed that Iranian intentions were unknown.<ref name="CRS09">{{cite web |title=''Federation of American Scientists'': Iran's Nuclear Program: Status |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL34544.pdf |access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://intelligence.senate.gov/090212/blair.pdf Dennis Blair: Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2009)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812234539/http://intelligence.senate.gov/090212/blair.pdf|date=12 August 2009}}<blockquote>We judge in fall 2003 Tehran halted its nuclear weapons design and weaponization activities and that the halt lasted at least several years... Although we do not know whether Iran currently intends to develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them... develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them.</blockquote></ref> In 2009, some European intelligence agencies said they believe Iran has resumed its alleged nuclear weapons design work.<ref>{{cite news |last=Broad |first=William J. |author2=DAVID E. SANGER |date=3 October 2009 |title=Report Says Iran Has Data to Make a Nuclear Bomb |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/world/middleeast/04nuke.html |access-date=25 October 2009 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In 2010 and 2011, the senior officers of all of the major American intelligence agencies stated that there was no conclusive evidence that Iran has made any attempt to produce nuclear weapons since 2003.<ref>[http://www.richardsilverstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Hersh-6-6-11.pdf Iran and the Bomb], [[Seymour Hersh]], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', 30 June 2011.</ref> In 2011, then Russian president [[Dmitry Medvedev]] said Iran was close to having the capability to produce nuclear weapons.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 July 2010 |title=Medvedev: Iran Nearer to Nuclear Weapons Potential |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/medvedev-iran-nearer-to-nuclear-weapons-potential-98239489/121707.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511094336/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Medvedev-Iran-Nearer-to-Nuclear-Weapons-Potential-98239489.html |archive-date=11 May 2012 |access-date=23 November 2011 |publisher=.voanews.com}}</ref> Then U.S. [[Defense Secretary]] [[Leon Panetta]] stated in January 2012 that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, but was not attempting to produce nuclear weapons.<ref name="autogenerated4">[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/world/middleeast/iran-will-soon-move-uranium-work-underground-official-says.html?pagewanted=2 Iran Trumpets Nuclear Ability at a Second Location], ''The New York Times'', 8 January 2012.</ref> In February 2012, sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies, including the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]], reported that Iran was pursuing research that could enable it to produce nuclear weapons, but was not attempting to do so.<ref name="LATimesFeb2013">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-feb-23-la-fg-iran-intel-20120224-story.html U.S. does not believe Iran is trying to build nuclear bomb], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 23 February 2012.</ref> In December 2014, a [[Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control]] report based on [[IAEA]] data concluded that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear warhead in 1.7 months.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iran's Nuclear Timetable |url=http://www.iranwatch.org/our-publications/articles-reports/irans-nuclear-timetable |access-date=8 February 2015}}.</ref>

In March 2025, Khameneis' top advisor [[Ali Larijani]] said Iran would have no choice but to develop nuclear weapons if attacked by the United States, Israel or its allies.<ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20250401-iran-will-have-no-choice-but-to-get-nukes-if-attacked-khamenei-adviser-usa-trump-nuclear-weapons-deal-bombing-threats Iran will have 'no choice' but to get nukes if attacked, says Khamenei adviser], France24, 1 April 2025.</ref>

In March 2025, Khameneis' top advisor [[Ali Larijani]] said Iran would have no choice but to develop nuclear weapons if attacked by the United States, Israel or its allies.<ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20250401-iran-will-have-no-choice-but-to-get-nukes-if-attacked-khamenei-adviser-usa-trump-nuclear-weapons-deal-bombing-threats Iran will have 'no choice' but to get nukes if attacked, says Khamenei adviser], France24, 1 April 2025.</ref>