New in PJ Media:
Amid the ongoing controversy about Iran’s nuclear program and what to do about it, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foreign Minister and a hardline pro-regime newspaper have recently revived the old claim, much beloved of the Obama administration back in the bad old days, that there is nothing to be concerned about at all. This is because the Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a fatwa saying that nuclear weapons are un-Islamic, and therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran couldn’t possibly be trying to develop nuclear weapons. There’s just one catch: no such fatwa exists or has ever existed.
No less a luminary than Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nevertheless recently said: “If America’s aim is for Iran not to advance toward nuclear weapons, this is achievable. We have no desire to build nuclear weapons. The Supreme Leader issued a fatwa, and we do not need nuclear weapons in our defense doctrine. They [the Americans] imposed sanctions on us due to the enrichment. We were under sanctions for years, but we didn’t turn to [nuclear] weapons. Our scientists were assassinated, but we didn’t turn to [nuclear] weapons. We came, we negotiated, and we reached an agreement through negotiations, but they [the U.S.] abandoned [the agreement]. We didn’t use [nuclear] weapons. Our policy is based on principles and foundations, and nuclear weapons have no place in our defense doctrine.”
This followed the pro-regime newspaper Kayhan asserting that the governments of the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and France “know very well that Iran has the technical know-how to acquire nuclear weapons, but that for religious and moral reasons it will never move towards producing nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly declared [this], and, more importantly, the Supreme Leader [Khamenei] has issued a religious fatwa banning the production and use of nuclear weapons. This fatwa is not a political tactic, but a legal and strategic position within the framework of the principles of Islam.”
The Obama administration went for this fatwa in a big way. Back in Aug. 2015, then-Secretary of State John Kerry said: “The Ayatollah has issued a fatwa… declaring no one should ever possess a nuclear weapon in Iran. We said, let’s take the fatwa and codify it into the agreement,” that is, Obama’s notoriously ill-conceived nuclear deal. Obama himself said in Sept. 2013: “I do believe that there is a basis for a resolution” of the nuclear disputes with Iran, because “Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons.”
Even before that, in April 2012, Kerry’s predecessor as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, showed herself to be a believer in the fatwa as well: “The other interesting development which you may have followed was the repetition by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei that they would—that he had issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons, against weapons of mass destruction.”
There is more. Read the rest here.
Wellington says
Reading all this makes me conclude once again that I actually prefer the evil and deceptiveness of Islam propagated by people like Khamenei and Araghchi over the foolishness and naivety of people like Kerry and Clinton. Yes, as the literary and historical record will prove, underrating evil and deceptiveness is so very often worse than these actual twin menaces are. We could start with the Trojan Horse of Homer’s recounting to prove this point but many other examples over the last three thousand years could be provided.
One last note. I’m not certain about Obama’s supposed naivety. Perhaps so. But perhaps not if you get my meaning.
somehistory says
Some guy being reported on yesterday was in the negative column because he had said bo is mozlum and questioned his birth certificate.
What bo did for the nation of iran, was enough to prove his .mozscummyness.
And if iran wants to deny that they want, and are trying to get, nuclear weapons, okay. But it isn’t for any “moral” reasons because they have no morals; none to hold them back, proven by their murderous ways against their own citizens for any little excuse or none.
There is an abundance of evidence that the iranian government is made up of liars and any lie will do if it advances islime, if it hides what they want to keep hidden, and if it tends to mislead anyone who might think correctly and has the authority to act.
This is really so very tiresome. I think it’s time for something different.
Bob M says
Iran doesn’t want nuclear weapons? Bridge for sale!
Since Islam is a false satanic religion, and Satan is the father of all lies (John 8:44),it naturally follows that they are lying. Their ‘‘holy’’ book permits them to lie and deceive non-Muslims (Surahs 3:28. 5:51, & 16:106)- as long as it furthers the spread /advances the cause of Islam.
Iran’s willingness to negotiate is a ruse to buy the time needed to finish their nuclear readiness, at which point they will launch them on Israel. Then all hell breaks loose.
I worry that Trump’s ego- the man loves making deals, apparently even with terrorists – will blind him to the Iranian skullduggery after it’s too late.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
He’s still alive, and unless he’s as addled as Joe Biden, can’t they ask him whether or not he said that?
Westman says
60% enrichment speaks for itself. There is no legitimate use for this level unless for a bomb or research about building nuclear bombs. Put 60% U235 in a normal power reactor and you’ll get Chernobyl. Put it in a breeder reactor and make Plutonium bombs from relatively cheap U238.
It’s about bombs, and Iran has enough 60% U235, when further enriched, for 10 nuclear bombs.
YaakovH says
You’re just a peaceful loving theocracy. It isn’t as though since 1979 the Shiite Regime in Teheran hasn’t clandestinely been pursuing all aspects needed in building a nuclear bomb including soliciting Al Huk of Pakistan the Father of their Bomb. If you needed medical isotopes it could be provided. You have oil to meet you energy needs. There is no plausible necessity for Iran to acquire nuclear reactors and create plutonium and enrich uranium unless you want Bomb