The Leader made the remarks in an address to a gathering of officials of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and a number of the country’s nuclear scientists during a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday. 

 

“The Iranian nation has never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons and will prove to the world that a nuclear weapon is not a source of power and that a nation has the ability to shatter the might arising from nuclear weapons through reliance on their talents and great human and natural potential, and the Iranian nation will do it,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated. 

 

“There is no doubt that the decision-making bodies in the countries that have aligned themselves against us are well aware of the fact that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons because the Islamic Republic of Iran regards the possession of nuclear weapons as a great sin in terms of thought, theory, and jurisprudence and believes that stockpiling such weapons is useless, very harmful, and very dangerous,” he added.   

 

He also said, “Although the progress of young (Iranian) scientists in the area of nuclear technology has various aspects, the most important aspect of it is the creation of a sense of national dignity and self-esteem among the Iranian people.” 

 

“A number of countries that have established domination over the world and have chosen the name ‘international community’ for themselves are fearful about the breakup of (their) scientific monopoly by nations, and some of their commotion about the Iranian nation is due to this very reason,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted. 

 

If the world’s nations can independently make progress in various fields of science and industry, including nuclear technology and aerospace, “no room would be left for the unfair domination of the global powers,” he observed.       

 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei commented on the sanctions imposed on Iran under the allegation that it is seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying, “The pressure and sanctions show the weakness of the hegemonistic powers and will make the Iranian nation stronger.  

 

“Sanctions have existed since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, while the nuclear issue dates back to a few years ago. Therefore, their main problem is the nation that has decided to be independent, fight against oppression, and reveal who the oppressors are.”  

 

Prior to Ayatollah Khamenei’s address, AEOI Director Fereydoun Abbasi delivered a speech in which he enumerated Iran’s latest nuclear achievements.