Ayatollah Khamenei

France and US excessively harmed marine life with their nuclear tests

On this International Day against Nuclear Tests, which calls for a nuclear-weapons-free world, Khamenei.ir publishes the following statements made by Ayatollah Khamenei, clarifying his thoughts on Nuclear weapons and tests.

The nuclear industry is an advanced industry in the world. It is an important industry. And it was achieved by our own experts. This was an explosion of the inner capacities and talents of our own experts. Now, such and such a backward country says that if Iran is supposed to have enrichment, I want enrichment as well. Well, you can go and engage in enrichment if you know how to do so. We did not learn enrichment from anyone. It was with our own domestic talent that we managed to do it. If your people have this talent, you can go and engage in enrichment.

These are childish excuses that some countries make. Enrichment and the other achievements that have been made in the nuclear area are a very important accomplishment. It is not a minor achievement. And these are only our initial steps in this industry. This industry should be worked on so that it makes progress. Now a few criminal countries which have either used nuclear bombs against other nations or tested them - such as America and France - are telling us what to do. Ten, twelve years ago, France conducted three nuclear tests - in a row - in the ocean. These tests are destructive and they destroy the marine environment. They conducted three dangerous tests. And there was little criticism over this matter in the world and later on, they shut mouths and it was over.

This is while we are not after nuclear tests. We are not after nuclear weapons. And this is not because they are telling us not to pursue these things. Rather, we do not want these things for the sake of ourselves and our religion and because reason is telling us not to do so. Both shar'i and aqli [related to logic and reason] fatwas dictate that we do not pursue them. Our aqli fatwa is that we do not need a nuclear weapon either in the present time or in the future. A nuclear weapon is a source of trouble for a country like ours - I do not want to expand on this matter. So, nuclear achievements are very important and pursuing this industry and industrializing the country is a very important task. This should receive attention.

Statements made in a meeting with Panegyrists on Apr 9,2015

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