Javad Karimi Ghoddusi, an Iranian lawmaker, again stirred international concern by asserting that Iran could elevate its uranium enrichment from 60 to 90 percent in just half a day.
His remarks, delivered via a video released on Wednesday, imply that Iran could rapidly produce the main fuel for nuclear warheads.
Ghoddusi emphasized that despite the Supreme Leader’s fatwa declaring the production and use of nuclear weapons unacceptable, Iran could escalate its response to match any nuclear threats it faces.
“If we are threatened with nuclear weapons, we will respond with a nuclear threat,” Ghoddusi stated, indicating that conventional weapons like Katyusha rockets would be insufficient in such scenarios.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that “Nuclear weapons have no place in our nuclear doctrine,” referencing the so-called “nuclear fatwa” by Supreme Leader Khamenei, which bans the development of nuclear arms.
However, the authenticity and enforceability of this fatwa are widely debated among experts, with some suggesting it serves more as a diplomatic shield amid Iran’s enrichment more than a binding decree.
