Has the Islamic Revolution leader's opinion about nuclear weapons changed?

Remarks of Iran’s Supreme Leader in his recent meeting with students as to nuclear weapons have once again highlighted his fatwa (religious decree) in this regard.

News ID: 5359

Date: 04 November 2024 - 17:12

TABNAK, Nov, 04 : In the nuclear fatwa of the Leader of the Revolution, which was published in his message on the first international conference named "Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation" held in Tehran in April 2009 and was then officially registered in the United Nations, it is stated, “In addition to believing in the sanctity of nuclear weapons, We also consider the use of "other types of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical weapons and biological weapons to be haram (religiously forbidden and prohibited)."

The Supreme Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, speaking in a group of students on the occasion of November 4, 1979 (anniversary of US embassy takeover in Tehran) in response to a student who had asked for changing the nuclear doctrine and presenting a secondary fatwa regarding nuclear weapons, he said: "We will do Whatever necessary to deal with the enemy.”

Following the Supreme Leader's statement, Ismail Baqaei, the Spokesman of Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement referred to nuclear weapons, saying, “Our position in rejecting weapons of mass destruction is quite clear, but as the Leader of the Revolution emphasized, we will be equipped to whatever necessary to defend Iran.”

Previously, Kamal Kharazi, heading Iran’s Strategic Council of Foreign Relations, had said,” If there is an existential threat, Iran will change its nuclear doctrine. We have the ability to make weapons.”

“Iran has the capacity to produce a nuclear bomb. Today, we still have that capacity, but we have not decided to produce a nuclear bomb. If there is an existential threat, the Islamic Republic of Iran will change its military doctrine, it is still standing and now we have the necessary capability for all weapons. We have no problem. It is the fatwa of the leadership that has prohibited it (building nuclear bomb).”

Some believe that the fatwa of Ayatollah Khamenei is the fatwa of an authority and it lacks governmental mandate and those not following him in religious matters can act in a different way.

According to "Wiki Shia", it is said that in the first half of 2011, fatwas issued by senior Iranian clerics including Makarem Shirazi, Nouri Hamedani, Jafar Sobhani and Javadi Amoli also confirmed and emphasized the jurisprudential point of view of Ayatollah Khamenei.

However, according to Kharazi, Ayatollah Khameni’s fatwa is the only prohibition in building nuclear weapons.

The nuclear fatwa of the Leader of the Revolution, which was published in his message on the first international conference "Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation" in April 2009 and was then officially registered in the United Nations, stated, “In addition to believing in the sanctity of nuclear weapons, We also consider the use of other types of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical weapons and biological weapons to be haram.

Despite this issue, some believe that the Fatwa of the Revolution’s Leader regarding the sanctity of building nuclear weapons can be changed.

In the same way, a member of the Cultural Commission of Iran’s Parliament Hassanali Akhlaghi-Amiri has said,“ The Supreme Leader’s fatwa, which was issued in 2009 regarding the sanctity of using nuclear weapons, is preserved. But in jurisprudence literature, there are primary and secondary rulings, based on the needs of the general conditions of the nation, a senior cleric, especially the Supreme Leader, can consider the secondary ruling. The Supreme Leader who is regarded as the successor of the beloved Prophet of Islam and the Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet Mohammad’s Family) in the realm of government, religiously has the power to even change the initial ruling.”

“However, we say that in necessary cases, the senior cleric can change his fatwa on secondary ruling according to the Islamic society requirements. Preservation of the system (of Iran) is the highest expediency. This statement was mentioned in remarks of Imam Khomeini (late founder of Islamic Revolution) and Supreme Leader has emphasized it many times.”

According to Amiri, “Our defense doctrine based on the fatwa of the Supreme Leader raised in 2009 is the same one proposed before. However, today the fake and evil Zionist regime unfortunately does not abide by any commitments.”

He said no international organization or European or American power is able to control it. That is why this issue needs to be discussed by experts.