Enrichment Is Tied to Iran’s Deterrence and National Security

TEHRAN (Defapress) - In an interview with Defapress correspondent, Ebrahim Rezaei, Spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, referred to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s clear positions in the nuclear negotiations and stated: “The Islamic Republic’s positions have always been clear, and it is the American side that has constantly changed its positions. One day they accept a treaty and the next day they withdraw from the same treaty, and they have repeatedly made contradictory and different statements.”

Emphasizing the Islamic Republic’s insistence on its red lines, he continued: “We have not retreated from our red lines in the past, nor will we retreat today. The American statements that Iran should not enrich do not matter to us, because we are the ones who decide for ourselves, not them. Our decision not to back down from enrichment was made based on national interests and to preserve the country’s national security.

Rezaei added: Nuclear energy has many uses, including scientific and medical applications that are currently being used in the country. In the past, when Western countries, including the United States, refused to provide the fuel needed for the Tehran Research Reactor, we provided it ourselves. This fuel is used to treat cancer patients, and we will not back down from the rights of our people and patients in any way. The need for 20 percent fuel also stems from this.

Referring to the link between nuclear energy and the country’s national security, he stated: Today, nuclear energy and enrichment are tied to our national security. Instead of them asking us why you are enriching, we should ask them why they are pressuring Iran to stop enrichment. I believe that their goal with these pressures is to disarm Iran and deprive the country of its deterrent power.

The  Spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly continued: “Peaceful nuclear energy has become a deterrent in our country because, specifically, enrichment is carried out within our country with indigenous knowledge, and military operations cannot destroy this. The defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including missile and drone power, have also been other deterrents.”

Rezaei emphasized: “Today, instead of focusing on the weaknesses of the Islamic Republic, the enemy has attacked its strengths; they want to weaken and destroy the factors and pillars of our national power production so that they can put pressure on Iran or even prepare the ground for an attack on the country. Therefore, retreating from rights such as enrichment is neither reasonable nor consistent with our national interests.”