Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and never will, Khamenei aide says

"We shouldn’t focus on weighing costs against benefits. While we are paying a heavy price due to sanctions, the emphasis is not on the costs," said Mohammad Eslami, an Iranian vice president and head of the Atomic Energy Organization.

When asked by a state TV interviewer to explain how the expenses are justified, he underscored the importance of acquiring advanced technology that so-called arrogant global powers seek to deny other nations, particularly Iran.

Eslami argued that evaluating the program’s costs and benefits should occur only after what he described as the required technological capabilities were achieved.

“We are now on this path. We’ve reached a stage where we can apply nuclear technology in various fields,” he added.

He maintained that Iran’s nuclear program is transparent and peaceful, accusing critics of using it to fuel what he called Iranophobia internationally.

Eslami's remarks came after Ali Larijani, an advisor to the Supreme Leader, signaled a softer stance on Iran’s nuclear program, calling it vital but stressing that it should not overshadow broader progress as “people must live their lives.”

The nuclear program is a pillar of our development, but not its entirety, he said on Saturday, stressing that despite his direct role in past negotiations, its scope must remain within defined limits.

"The nuclear issue is part of our national strength, but it is not all of it. People must live their lives, and progress must be achieved in various fields. The nuclear agreement [JCPOA] preserved nuclear knowledge, ensuring its continuation, but reduced the number of centrifuges from 9,000 to 5,000," Larijani, who is considered a moderate conservative in the Islamic Republic's political spectrum, argued.

Iran has faced ongoing electricity and gas shortages due to underinvestment and the impact of US-led sanctions which have hindered modernization efforts in its power, oil and gas sectors.

Iran’s leadership has been wrestling with the idea of re-engaging with Washington over the nuclear program in order to reduce US economic sanctions.

Iran's nuclear program: costs vs benefits

On January 23, Eslami highlighted the economic benefits of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, saying it cost $1.8 billion but has supplied 70 billion kilowatt hours of electricity to the grid in more than a decade. He estimated that producing the same amount of energy from fossil fuels would have cost $8 billion. However, government data shows that the reactor produces just 2% of Iran's annual electricity needs.

Critics argue the program’s costs outweigh its benefits.

Outspoken reformist commentator Sadegh Zibakalam criticized the nuclear program in a post on X on January 23, questioning its value.

“Mr. Zarif says we had no intention of producing nuclear weapons and could have built them if we wanted. So why incur such enormous costs for over 20 years?” he wrote. Zibakalam also cited unfulfilled promises to build five nuclear plants comparable to Bushehr.

In a letter to hardline lawmaker Hamid Rasaei in February 2023, Zibakalam argued that Iran could procure fuel for its Bushehr power plant through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Not only does our insistence on producing nuclear fuel domestically have no economic justification due to its high cost, but also other things like speaking of 'our proud nuclear achievements' are one-sided and exaggerated.”

Since US President Donald Trump imposed what he called maximum pressure sanctions in his first term starting in 2018, Iran’s national currency has depreciated nearly 20-fold, and inflation has surged to 40%.

The sanctions severely disrupted the economy, particularly in the banking, trade, transportation and insurance sectors.

Sanctions have severely disrupted multiple sectors of Iran’s economy, particularly international trade, which has been hit hard by rising costs in banking, transportation, shipping, and insurance.

In a recent state-run television program, Saeed-Reza Ameli, former secretary of Iran's Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, said sanctions have cost the Iranian economy $1.2 trillion over the past 12 years.

Economist Vahid Shaghaghi-Shahri echoed similar concerns in an interview with the Etemad newspaper last week, saying Iran’s gross domestic product has shrunk from $640 billion to $400 billion over the same period.

Without sanctions, he estimated, the economy could have grown to $1 trillion.

"The current situation of high prices and livelihood problems that are putting pressure on the people is unacceptable," he said. "Some of it is in our hands, and some of it is not," he added without elaborating.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a joint meeting with Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and other senior legislative and judicial officials.

Iran's current economic crisis stems from both US and European sanctions, as well as systemic mismanagement linked to the government's bureaucracy and its dominant role in the economy.

Official media often attributes economic responsibility to the presidential administration, but since foreign policy decisions rest with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, lifting sanctions is beyond the president's control.

Last month, the Statistical Center of Iran reported significant price increases on essential goods, with some food items seeing prices multiply up to five times compared to last year.

Ordinary workers currently earn less than $150 a month, while official estimates indicate that a family of three needs at least $450 a month to cover basic necessities.

Pezeshkian said it is time to engage the population, at least one third of whom have been pushed below the poverty line, warning that more protests lie ahead.

"When we are unable to fulfill our commitments to the people... if they come to the streets and protest, we must engage in dialogue with them ... but instead, we treat them badly.

"Solving the people's problems is our duty; if we cannot, we should at least explain it to them in a kind manner... not treat them violently."

He accused the country's adversaries of taking advantage of the dire economic conditions, warning: "Of course, the people should also be careful that the enemy does not exploit their protests to disrupt society.”

Acknowledging declining public support for the government, he asked, "In the recent elections, 50 percent of the people did not participate. Are they not one of us, and are we not their servants? Shouldn't we ask ourselves why they are dissatisfied with us?"

Only 24 million of 61 million eligible Iranians voted on June 28 in snap presidential elections called after the untimely death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.

The 39.9 percent turnout was the worst in the history of the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian did not secure the 50 percent required to avoid a run-off. The turnout improved in the second round to 49.68%.

Fars reported that a group of its readers launched a petition saying these stores promote pet ownership, which they argue poses health risks, although they did not specify what those risks are.

Iranian authorities view pet ownership, especially of dogs, as a sign of Western influence that threatens traditional values and should be prohibited.

Dogs are generally considered 'najis' or 'impure' in Islam and banned in public places by some majority-Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia.

Iranian parliamentarians proposed a bill in 2021 banning selling and keeping of pets, claiming that the ban was meant to protect public health.

While working dogs have always been common in Iran’s rural areas and on farms, keeping pets has only recently become fashionable in urban areas despite occasional police crackdowns.

Hossein Salami told Tasnim News Agency Monday: “The IRGC today is much more advanced in the field of weapons and much more experienced in skills.”

He described Iran’s military strength as a key factor in deterring adversaries, pointing to past missile strikes as proof of the IRGC’s capabilities.

The comments come just months after an aerial attack from Israel severely damaged Iranian military infrastructure.

The Institute for the Study of War said of the October strike: "The IDF [Israeli military" conducted precision strikes targeting around 20 locations across Iran, including facilities tied to the Iranian drone and missile programs and air defense network."

In a separate interview, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a deputy commander of the IRGC, told state television Sunday: “Whenever we want, we can put any point in the world under the missile range."

The statements come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that his Monday meeting with US President Donald Trump will include talks on the ongoing threat from Iran.

Reza Naqdi added: “Any range, in any point in the world, that the system and the Supreme Leader wants, is not beyond the technological reach of the Islamic Republic’s military forces.”

Salami highlighted the importance of the IRGC's navy in Iran's defense systems after the IRGC Navy unveiled another underground missile base in the coastal areas of southern Iran on Saturday.

The IRGC also unveiled a new cruise missile, named Ghadr-380, which has "anti-jamming capabilities" and a range of more than 1,000 km (more than 600 miles), according to IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian framed Iran’s ballistic missile and space launch programs as defensive rather than offensive on Sunday.

“We have worked to continuously strengthen our defense capabilities with the efforts of dedicated, innovative young scientists,” he said at a military exhibition.

“This development will continue, and dear Iran will join the ranks of countries conducting extraterrestrial flights, showcasing our nation's scientific strength.”

Iran has developed an estimated arsenal of 3,000 ballistic missiles, according to US intelligence assessments.

Iran launched hundreds of drones, rockets and ballistic missiles at Israel last year, demonstrating its ability to strike its archenemy despite extensive missile defenses.

Iranian hardliners have warned that a return to diplomatic negotiations under Donald Trump could include renewed efforts to curb Iran’s missile program.

Tehran has repeatedly ruled out missile-related talks, maintaining that its military strategy is non-negotiable.

Daniel Khalife received six years for breaching the Official Secrets Act, six years for a terrorism offense, and two years and three months for escaping from prison, with the sentences to be served consecutively.

Khalife, 23, joined the British Army in 2018 and served with the Royal Corps of Signals. While enlisted, he "exposed military personnel to serious harm" by gathering and passing on sensitive information to Iran.

The judge said Khalife "took payment on two occasions and traveled to meet intelligence officers from Iran in Turkey." She noted that he "recorded a great deal of information," including the full names of fellow soldiers, and was "driven firmly to the conclusion that this was to send to the Iranians."

Khalife, who escaped from Wandsworth Prison in September 2023 but was caught days later, passed information to Iranian agents for cash and told handlers he would stay in the military for more than 25 years to serve them.