Iran's position against the development of nuclear weapons will not change significantly, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warning that the new supreme leader has not yet publicly expressed his views on the matter, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed at the beginning of the US-Israeli war against Iran, opposed the development of weapons of mass destruction in a fatwa, or religious decree, issued in the early 2000s.
Western countries, including the US and Israel, have for years accused Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Iranian authorities have stated that their nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.
Araghchi, in an interview with Al Jazeera, broadcast by Iranian media on Wednesday, stated that fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist who issued them, and added that he was not yet able to judge the legal or political views of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader.
New Protocol on the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian Foreign Minister also stated that, in his opinion, after the end of the war, the countries bordering the Persian Gulf should develop a new protocol for the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage through this narrow waterway under certain conditions that meet Iranian and regional interests.
Iran closed this vital energy corridor, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass, stating that it "will not allow even a liter of oil" to reach the US, Israel, and their partners.
On Tuesday, the speaker of the Iranian parliament wrote on X that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war state.
The US seeks to create a naval coalition to escort ships passing through the strait, with most NATO allies saying they do not want to intervene in military operations against Iran.
France, a NATO member, said it would consider creating a joint international coalition to ensure passage through the strait only after a ceasefire and preliminary negotiations with Tehran.
Araghchi stated that an end to the war is only possible if the conflict is finally resolved throughout the region and Iran receives compensation for the damage caused.
When asked why Iranian strikes in the Persian Gulf not only targeted American military bases but also affected residential and commercial areas, the Iranian Foreign Minister stated that this was due to the redeployment of American troops to urban areas.
"Wherever American troops gathered, wherever facilities belonging to them were located, they became targets of strikes. Perhaps some of these places were near urban areas," said the senior Iranian diplomat.
Araghchi acknowledged that the countries of the region were "outraged, and their people suffered or were concerned" by the Iranian strikes, but added that all the blame lies with the US for starting the war on February 28.
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