Iran Says Its Nuclear Science Reaches Developed-Country Level Amid External Pressure

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, announced that Iran has reached a level of nuclear science and technology on par with developed countries, attributing the achievement to domestic talent and managerial capacity. He asserted that Israeli and U.S. airstrikes have actually strengthened Iran's program by compelling it to create indigenous solutions when foreign suppliers could not assist. Eslami maintained that Iran's nuclear activities are intended solely for peaceful purposes, including enhancing livelihoods and national capabilities.

In parallel, former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was attacked by hardliners for suggesting that nuclear weapons might offer deterrence, a stance they linked to Israel. Hardliners also targeted current foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, accusing him of treason for meeting U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, prompting a motion by thirty-five lawmakers to impeach him.