Iran rejects Telegraph’s 'lies' on changing nuclear fatwa

Iran’s Embassy in London firmly rejected the unfounded allegations raised by the British daily Telegraph, asserting that Iran’s nuclear program is entirely peaceful and that nuclear weapons have “no place” in its defense doctrine.

News ID: 5972

Date: 09 February 2025 - 21:49

TABNAK, Feb 09: The embassy issued a statement on Sunday following a Telegraph article that claimed Iranian military commanders had privately urged the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, to revoke his fatwa (religious decree) banning the production of nuclear weapons.

Describing the allegations as “beyond absurdity,” the embassy characterized the report as part of a broader disinformation campaign against the Islamic Republic.

“The Telegraph has turned itself into an apparatus for a malign disinformation campaign against Iran,” the statement read, which was posted on the social media platform X.

“We reject all the claims and accusations it has disseminated on Iran's nuclear program throughout the past month, including the one published yesterday which is truly beyond absurdity,” it added.

Reiterating the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, the embassy noted, “Iran’s nuclear program is absolutely peaceful and is part of Iran's national plan for scientific, technological, and industrial development.”

“WMDs (weapons of mass destruction), in particular nuclear weapons, have no place in our defense doctrine and are prohibited under our religious beliefs and national values,” it stated.

The embassy advised the British media, not least the Telegraph, to instead focus on the “imminent threat” posed by Israel’s arsenal of nuclear weapons to international peace and security.

“Please stop spreading lies and smokescreening the real and imminent threat to world peace, namely Israel's nuclear arsenal, militancy, and lawless behavior,” it said.