World gets largely preoccupied with heightened risk of nuclear conflict between US, Russia
Date
10/28/2024 6:00:14 AM
(MENAFN) In recent months, the world has been largely preoccupied with the heightened risk of nuclear conflict between the United States and Russia. Yet, developments in the Middle East suggest that the tensions between Iran and Israel could emerge as a more immediate nuclear crisis.
The ongoing hostilities between Iran and Israel seem to have significantly shifted Iran's previously cautious stance regarding nuclear armament. As tensions rise, Israel is bracing for potential military action in response to Iran’s major retaliatory strikes, which have included drone, ballistic, and cruise missile assaults. In light of these escalating tensions, Iran has issued at least three official statements since April indicating a possible reconsideration of its religious prohibitions against developing nuclear weapons. The conditions Iran previously outlined as necessary for such a shift now appear to have been met.
These statements from Tehran signal a possible pivot in policy, suggesting that Iran may have made a strategic choice to pursue nuclear capabilities. The necessary means for such development seem readily available, allowing Iran to potentially act on this decision within days if the political landscape shifts favorably.
The fatwa against nuclear weapons, issued by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in October, reinforces the country's official stance on the matter. Khamenei emphasized, "We believe that the addition of nuclear weapons and other types of weapons of mass destruction poses a serious threat to humanity... We consider the use of these weapons haram, and the effort to protect humanity from this great catastrophe is everyone's duty."
However, in the context of Shiite Islam, fatwas are not permanent edicts; they can be reinterpreted by religious scholars to address contemporary needs. Following Iran’s Operation Sincere Promise against Israel in April, Ahmad Haq Talab, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for securing Iran's nuclear sites, stated, “If Israel wants to exploit the threat to attack our country's nuclear centers as a tool to pressure Iran, it is conceivable to revise the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear doctrine and policies to adjust our previous considerations.”
In a further development, Kamal Kharrazi, a former foreign minister and advisor to the Supreme Leader, added to the conversation by asserting, “We (Iran) have no decision to build a nuclear bomb, but if Iran's existence is threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine.”
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