Former Iranian Deputy Speaker: Nuclear Program Initially Aimed at Building a Bomb

In a resurfaced 2022 interview, former Iranian Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ali Motahari made a rare admission, claiming that the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program was originally designed to develop a nuclear bomb.

“The start of Iran's nuclear program was 100% aimed at building a bomb,” Motahari said, emphasizing that it was a coordinated decision involving the broader Iranian establishment. “It wasn’t just a few individuals. It was a system-wide effort.”

Motahari also remarked that Iran had hoped to follow a model akin to Pakistan—developing and testing a nuclear weapon in secret and presenting it to the world as a fait accompli. “If we had been able to test the device quietly, it would have been over—just like Pakistan did,” he said.

Implications and Context

While Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful, the former deputy speaker’s remarks lend weight to Western suspicions that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions have included military dimensions. His statements contradict decades of official Iranian denials and come amid renewed scrutiny of Iran's nuclear activity, especially its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels.

Motahari’s revelations have sparked debate within Iran and internationally, as nuclear talks remain stalled and regional tensions continue to simmer.