Tehran, Iran. Iran’s stance against the development of nuclear weapons will not significantly change, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera in remarks relayed by Iranian media on Wednesday. He said Iran’s new supreme leader has yet to publicly express his view on the issue.
Nuclear weapons position and leadership transition
Araqchi referred to a fatwa issued in the early 2000s by former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei opposing weapons of mass destruction. Khamenei was killed early in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, according to the report.
Western countries, including the United States and Israel, have for years accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, while Iranian authorities have said the nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes.
Araqchi said fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist issuing them and added he was not yet in a position to judge the jurisprudential or political views of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader.
Strait of Hormuz and proposals for a post-war protocol
Araqchi said he believed that after the war ends, countries bordering the Gulf should draft a new protocol for the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage through the waterway under conditions aligned with Iranian and regional interests.
Iran shut the strait, described as a vital energy gateway through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied gas passes, saying it “won’t even allow a litre of oil” to reach the United States, Israel and their partners.
On Tuesday, Iran’s parliament speaker tweeted that the Strait of Hormuz situation would not return to its pre-war conditions.
The United States has sought to build a naval coalition to escort vessels navigating the strait, with most NATO allies saying they do not want to get involved in military operations against Iran. NATO-member France said it would only consider a joint international coalition to secure passage through the strait following a ceasefire and prior negotiations with Tehran.
Conditions for ending the war
Araqchi said an end to the war was only conceivable if the conflict is permanently over throughout the region and Iran receives compensation for damages incurred.
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