‘No choice but to build atomic bomb’: Iranian Revolutionary Guard-related media urges Iran to pursue nuclear weapons despite US deal

Iran argued it had “no choice” but to develop a nuclear weapon According to media reports related to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Tehran has guaranteed its security despite its recent commitment not to develop nuclear weapons under a preliminary agreement with the United States.Iran’s state-affiliated Fars news agency published the article titled “No Choice But to Build an Atomic Bomb” on Sunday, claiming that Tehran must negotiate with its opponents from a position of strength and strategic deterrence.The article compared Iran’s current confrontation with the United States to China’s strategic position in the 1970s, saying that “in order to achieve the peace and calm that Iran needs, it must absolutely achieve nuclear deterrence to ensure that the remaining issues can be resolved through negotiations.”The article compares Sino-US relations in the 1970s and believes that Beijing can only negotiate with Washington after developing nuclear weapons.“The United States has twice threatened China with nuclear attacks, similar to Trump’s recent nuclear threats against Iran – but when did Kissinger secretly meet with the Chinese and then negotiate? That was when China built the atomic bomb,” the article said.It also believed that nuclear weapons would help establish a strategic balance with countries possessing nuclear arsenals.“Nuclear deterrence means that a balance of power can be achieved against the United States and Israel, which possess atomic bombs, not to avoid war, but to keep the scope of the conflict within control,” the report said.The comments came despite Washington and Tehran signing a memorandum of understanding earlier this month in which Iran agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to regain access to its nuclear facilities after suspending inspections last year.As part of the deal, Iran also pledged not to develop nuclear weapons, while the United States called on Tehran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities for 20 years.The article comes as IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi renews his call for unfettered access to Iran’s nuclear facilities. “The Iranian government has confirmed very clearly that [developing nuclear weapons] That was not their intention, but of course, intention alone is not enough,” Grossi told reporters on Friday.“To gain certainty, we need to put in place a very robust verification system as quickly as possible,” he added.Although Iran has agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to return in September, it has not yet allowed them access to nuclear facilities damaged in attacks launched by U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025. The whereabouts of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile also remains unclear.Iranian officials continue to defend the country’s military capabilities as vital to national security. “Iran’s military capabilities ensure the Iranian people’s inherent right to legitimate self-defense in the face of aggression and crime, while guaranteeing peace and stability in the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a post on X on Friday.Baghaei also criticized Gulf states, accusing them of “aggression against Muslim neighbors” while being “silent on Israel’s nuclear arsenal.”