Pezeshkian says Iran will bolster nuclear program, rules out bomb

He pointed out that the fatwa by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against nuclear weapons has strong Shia jurisprudential foundations.

Larijani, a former senior judiciary official who also served as a top adviser to the Supreme Leader, added that he supports the expansion of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, framing them as a deterrent and emphasizing the country’s decision not to weaponize.

He also voiced sharp criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal, saying the so-called “diplomacy doctrine” of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) had led Iran to “distress and reversed courage.”

Larijani, speaking at a conference examining the thoughts of Ali Khamenei, said that the JCPOA doctrine -- based on trading rights for concessions -- was akin to surrendering part of Iran’s rights in order to preserve others, and he invoked Iran’s war-era ethos of resisting aggressors.

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  Khamenei's Nuclear Fatwa: A Fiction From The Start

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  Official daily says Khamenei banned use, not production of nuclear weapons

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  Iranian lawmakers urge review of defense doctrine, call for nuclear weapons

Larijani’s comments reflect a nuanced position often heard from Tehran: while Iran signals that it remains technically close to nuclear weapon capability, it continues to assert that its policy remains peaceful and that the decision not to build such weapons stands.

The remarks come amid international scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program, where questions remain over enrichment levels and stockpiles, and where the authenticity and legal force of Khamenei’s so-called fatwa have been contested by analysts.

International experts say the Iranian stance complicates diplomatic efforts, as Tehran’s acknowledgement of capability but insistence on conditional restraint leaves room for ambiguity.

Critics argue this could be designed to serve both as deterrence and diplomatic leverage.

The recent confrontation in June had shattered long-standing assumptions about Israel’s military power, Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

“The myth of Israel’s invincibility collapsed after Iran’s response,” he added, describing Tehran’s military action as a turning point that proved Iran’s capacity to retaliate.

Earlier this year, the United States held five rounds of negotiations with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program under a 60-day deadline set by President Donald Trump.

When no agreement was reached by the 61st day, on June 13, Israel launched a surprise military offensive, followed by US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow.

“Iran has no choice but to secure a decisive victory against the aggressor,” Khatibzadeh said, arguing that any attack on Iran would be met with a response aimed at ensuring that “the aggressor will undoubtedly regret its decision.”

‘We are peace-seeking, but we fight well’

Iran does not seek confrontation but will not hesitate to defend itself, Khatibzadeh said. “We are a peace-seeking people, but if war is imposed on us, we fight well… We never sought confrontation, but they chose the path of confrontation.”

The deputy minister linked Iran’s stance to what he called the “geopolitical ambitions” of the United States and Israel, urging other countries to recognize Iran’s right to defend itself.

“We have never accepted the language of force,” he said. “Our message is clear: respect, justice, and balance must define international relations.”

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  Iran says diplomacy, not submission, guides Tehran’s foreign policy

The 12-day conflict ended on June 24 after a US-brokered ceasefire, but global alarm over Tehran’s nuclear program deepened as 400 kilograms of Iran’s highly enriched uranium remained unaccounted for.

Tehran says the material lies buried beneath debris from US and Israeli airstrikes, rendering it unreachable, yet it has so far refused to grant international inspectors access to the damaged sites.

Venezuelan Transport Minister Ramón Celestino Velásquez recently coordinated a shipment of military equipment and drones from Iran while planning a visit to that country, the Washington Post reported citing the documents.

The Venezuelan minister told an Iranian official that his country was in need of “passive detection equipment,” “GPS scramblers” and “almost certainly drones with 1,000 km [600 mile] range,” the report added citing the documents.

The report does not clarify how Russia, China or Iran have responded to the outreach, nor whether any of the requested items are already en route.

However, Venezuelan officials have maintained close ties with all three countries in recent years, relying on them for economic, energy and security support as sanctions have deepened the country’s isolation from the West.

The overtures come as the United States has significantly increased its naval presence in the Caribbean, deploying ships and aircraft in what US officials say is part of counter-narcotics and security operations.

President Nicolas Maduro’s government has portrayed the buildup as a direct threat, accusing Washington of preparing for intervention and using the regional military posture to justify its push for foreign defense assistance.

The Trump administration has secretly authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela, The New York Times reported last month citing US officials.

The vehicle of Mohammad-Reza Shahouzehi, a tribal elder of the Shahouzehi clan, came under fire by armed militants while he was inspecting the area under his jurisdiction near Eskalabad, close to Dehpabid in Sistan and Baluchestan province, the Quds base of the IRGC Ground Forces said.

Two of his companions, identified as Esmail Shavarzi and Mokhtar Shahouzehi, were seriously wounded in the attack and later died from their injuries, the IRGC said in its statement, calling it an act of terrorism.

The killing follows several similar incidents in recent months, mostly claimed by the Sunni militant group Jaish ul-Adl, designated as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States.

In September, Reza Azarkish, a local Basij militia member, was shot dead in Iranshahr. Earlier in the month, Iraj Shams Askani, a member of the Revolutionary Guards, was gunned down by Jaish ul-Adl in the border town of Rask.

Last month, Parviz Kadkhodaei, a local Basij commander in Nikshahr, was killed in a separate assault. Prominent tribal leader Mullah Kamal Salahi-zehi was also killed in October when unidentified gunmen opened fire on his vehicle in Iranshahr.

The province, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been the scene of attacks by Sunni insurgent groups that Tehran says are backed by foreign intelligence services.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said during the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain that Muscat wanted to see “a return to negotiations between Iran and the United States.” He said the talks, which Oman had hosted earlier this year, were derailed in June when Israel launched air and missile strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“Just three days before the sixth and possibly decisive round of talks, Israel unleashed its bombs and missiles in an illegal and deadly act of sabotage,” Albusaidi said, according to AFP.

Oman, a traditional mediator between Tehran and Washington, has helped facilitate indirect talks this year aimed at reaching a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi visited Muscat earlier this week for a meeting of the Iran-Oman Political Strategic Committee, where he and Albusaidi discussed regional developments and plans to expand bilateral cooperation, according to Iranian media.

Tehran denies US message via Oman

The United States did not send a message to Iran through Oman, Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday, citing an informed source. The outlet said the comment came after Iraq’s Baghdad Al-Youm alleged that Washington had used Muscat to convey a proposal to resume suspended nuclear talks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Tehran would not stop uranium enrichment or negotiate on its missile program, warning that any new Israeli attack would have “bad consequences.”

Araghchi said Iran was open to indirect talks with Washington to reach what he called a fair agreement on its nuclear program but would not make concessions after being attacked. He added that Iran would not accept Western pressure or what he described as “dictates.”

Cairo urges Iran, IAEA to resume cooperation

His comments came a day after Egypt said it had urged both Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency to end the standoff over inspections of damaged nuclear sites. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he conveyed the appeal to Araghchi and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in separate phone calls aimed at reviving cooperation between the two sides.

Iran suspended full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog after the June war with Israel and the United States. Under a post-war law, inspections now require approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and exclude access to bombed facilities.

Albusaidi said regional states should seek dialogue rather than confrontation. “Over the years, the Gulf Cooperation Council has at best sat back and permitted the isolation of Iran,” he said. “I believe this needs to change.”