Sayyed Ali Khamenei's views on Nuclear Weapons (2008-2012 speeches)
Transcript:
[...] That is one of the reasons behind the enmity of the arrogant powers and the global plots against the Iranian nation regarding the nuclear energy and similar issues. They sign nuclear contracts with other countries that are far behind the Iranian nation in terms of their scientific knowledge and industrial means. But, as you can see, the Americans are pioneers and some Europeans follow suite in opposing the Iranian nation's right to achieving nuclear energy. They keep threatening and being insolent. What could this mean? It means that when nuclear energy causes a nation to become dependant on them, they consider it legitimate for the nation. They are opposed to that sort of nuclear energy that is gained through a nation's innovation and independently of their help. Our dear youth and our great nation managed to achieve this advantage and this advanced industrial and scientific accomplishment by relying on their own capabilities. They did not bring about dependence. Rather they acted against dependence by doing so. The sort of nuclear energy that is offered to other nations by arrogant powers is itself a cause of dependence. However, for the Iranian nation that manufactures creatively, nuclear energy prevents dependence. The global arrogance and the enemies of the Iranian nation are opposed to this. [...]
Of course, the enemy will not keep silent. It will continue its political and psychological efforts. It will keep slandering. Today, the world no longer believes the slanders of Americans and Zionists against the Iranian nation, neither do they believe the allegations leveled - by those who violated human rights most and who are most infamous for assassinating the oppressed and invading other nations - against our government regarding the violation of human rights. These people accuse the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation of violation of human rights. But that is not important. Or regarding the nuclear issue, the Iranian nation has repeatedly announced that it is not after nuclear weapons. This is something that everybody knows, and it is totally logical. Today, because the Americans know that they cannot openly disregard a nation and declare that they are opposed to its rights, when they want to say something about the nuclear issue of Iran or adopt a stance in this regard, they simply accuse our country of trying to develop nuclear weapons in order to justify their claims in global public opinion.
They themselves know that they are lying. They themselves know that their claims are just lies. No wise nation and no wise government official would seek to develop nuclear weapons today. And the Iranian nation is similarly opposed to such weapons from an Islamic, ideological, and logical standpoint. It takes a great deal of money to develop and keep nuclear weapons, and they are of no use. Nuclear weapons do not bring about power for a nation because they cannot be used. Those who possess nuclear bombs now are well aware that if they make the slightest mistake and use their nuclear weapons, they will have to bear the serious consequences - just as they had to bear the consequences when they decided to strengthen the terrorists.
If they use their nuclear weapons, it will be just a matter of time before the terrorists in the world are equipped with nuclear weapons and destroy the security of all global arrogant powers as well as all nations. They know that nuclear weapons are useless, yet they accuse the Iranian nation of trying to develop nuclear weapons. The Iranian nation is not after nuclear weapons. Our nation seeks to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and it will pursue this path and will achieve it against the enemies' will. [...] June 3, 2008
[…] They have resorted to spreading lies and misleading global public opinion regarding the nuclear issue. This is not limited to a particular radio station or a particular propaganda machine. Unfortunately, all influential western politicians - who are mostly influenced by the Zionists - are constantly misleading public opinion, spreading lies, and fabricating slogans. We ask the heads of these countries not tell so many lies. We ask these western governments not to mislead global public opinion like this. These lies will harm them in the end. They tried telling lies, and they saw the consequences. When they keep telling lies and their claims are proven wrong, they will lose their reputation. That was what happened in some cases. They told lies and took action on the basis of their lies, but then the truth was revealed. Their own nations will hold them responsible for their lies.
Iran is just looking for the nuclear knowledge it needs. If the Iranian nation does not obtain this knowledge today, it will be too late to obtain it tomorrow. It will be too late in the future, the future in which global economy will revolve around nuclear energy instead of oil. They want the Iranian nation to stand idle, waiting for others to help it in the future. The entire nuclear issue boils down to this [nuclear knowledge]. I have said this repeatedly before.
Today we are working in order to obtain the nuclear knowledge we need so that our children, our youth, our future generations, and the great Iranian nation will not be forced to beg this knowledge from the west in the future. Oil belongs to us. We extract it from our own oil reserves and export it to western countries. But westerners are bullying us even in the case of oil! Today western governments are making a greater profit than the oil exporting countries out of the oil that is extracted from the oil wells of this region! Today oil belongs to us, and we have control over it. Yet westerners are bullying us. Just imagine what will happen to the countries that will try to get nuclear energy from westerners in the future. That is what the Islamic Republic is thinking about, so it insists that Iran should obtain this nuclear knowledge and technology. But they cause uproar in the world and ask us why we are trying to achieve nuclear knowledge. They spread slander and mislead global public opinion, claiming that Iran is after a nuclear bomb.
[People shouting, "Nuclear energy is our indisputable right."] Yes, Obviously. It is obvious that nuclear energy is an indisputable right of the Iranian nation. But the problem is that the global arrogant powers are using different kinds of machinations and propaganda techniques in order to deprive the Iranian nation from this indisputable right. We need to have insight. We need to be vigilant. When treading their path, nations should find out what their enemy is doing at critical moments. When they see that they cannot confront a nation through military action or threatening, they start causing trouble through other methods. We should understand this. In such cases, they resort to pretexts and causing discord and enmity. […] Dec. 6, 2009
[…] The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the use of nuclear, chemical and similar weapons as a great and unforgivable sin. We proposed the idea of “Middle East free of nuclear weapons” and we are committed to it. This does not mean forgoing our right to peaceful use of nuclear power and production of nuclear fuel. On the basis of international laws, peaceful use of nuclear energy is a right of every country. All should be able to employ this wholesome source of energy for various vital uses for the benefit of their country and people, without having to depend on others for exercising this right. Some Western countries, themselves possessing nuclear weapons and guilty of this illegal action, want to monopolize the production of nuclear fuel. Surreptitious moves are under way to consolidate a permanent monopoly over production and sale of nuclear fuel in centers carrying an international label but in fact within the control of a few Western countries.
I stress that the Islamic Republic has never been after nuclear weapons and that it will never give up the right of its people to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Our motto is: “Nuclear energy for all and nuclear weapons for none.” We will insist on each of these two precepts, and we know that breaking the monopoly of certain Western countries on production of nuclear energy in the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is in the interest of all independent countries, including the members of the Non-Aligned Movement. […] Aug 30, 2012
Transcript:
[...] That is one of the reasons behind the enmity of the arrogant powers and the global plots against the Iranian nation regarding the nuclear energy and similar issues. They sign nuclear contracts with other countries that are far behind the Iranian nation in terms of their scientific knowledge and industrial means. But, as you can see, the Americans are pioneers and some Europeans follow suite in opposing the Iranian nation's right to achieving nuclear energy. They keep threatening and being insolent. What could this mean? It means that when nuclear energy causes a nation to become dependant on them, they consider it legitimate for the nation. They are opposed to that sort of nuclear energy that is gained through a nation's innovation and independently of their help. Our dear youth and our great nation managed to achieve this advantage and this advanced industrial and scientific accomplishment by relying on their own capabilities. They did not bring about dependence. Rather they acted against dependence by doing so. The sort of nuclear energy that is offered to other nations by arrogant powers is itself a cause of dependence. However, for the Iranian nation that manufactures creatively, nuclear energy prevents dependence. The global arrogance and the enemies of the Iranian nation are opposed to this. [...]
Of course, the enemy will not keep silent. It will continue its political and psychological efforts. It will keep slandering. Today, the world no longer believes the slanders of Americans and Zionists against the Iranian nation, neither do they believe the allegations leveled - by those who violated human rights most and who are most infamous for assassinating the oppressed and invading other nations - against our government regarding the violation of human rights. These people accuse the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation of violation of human rights. But that is not important. Or regarding the nuclear issue, the Iranian nation has repeatedly announced that it is not after nuclear weapons. This is something that everybody knows, and it is totally logical. Today, because the Americans know that they cannot openly disregard a nation and declare that they are opposed to its rights, when they want to say something about the nuclear issue of Iran or adopt a stance in this regard, they simply accuse our country of trying to develop nuclear weapons in order to justify their claims in global public opinion.
They themselves know that they are lying. They themselves know that their claims are just lies. No wise nation and no wise government official would seek to develop nuclear weapons today. And the Iranian nation is similarly opposed to such weapons from an Islamic, ideological, and logical standpoint. It takes a great deal of money to develop and keep nuclear weapons, and they are of no use. Nuclear weapons do not bring about power for a nation because they cannot be used. Those who possess nuclear bombs now are well aware that if they make the slightest mistake and use their nuclear weapons, they will have to bear the serious consequences - just as they had to bear the consequences when they decided to strengthen the terrorists.
If they use their nuclear weapons, it will be just a matter of time before the terrorists in the world are equipped with nuclear weapons and destroy the security of all global arrogant powers as well as all nations. They know that nuclear weapons are useless, yet they accuse the Iranian nation of trying to develop nuclear weapons. The Iranian nation is not after nuclear weapons. Our nation seeks to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and it will pursue this path and will achieve it against the enemies' will. [...] June 3, 2008
[…] They have resorted to spreading lies and misleading global public opinion regarding the nuclear issue. This is not limited to a particular radio station or a particular propaganda machine. Unfortunately, all influential western politicians - who are mostly influenced by the Zionists - are constantly misleading public opinion, spreading lies, and fabricating slogans. We ask the heads of these countries not tell so many lies. We ask these western governments not to mislead global public opinion like this. These lies will harm them in the end. They tried telling lies, and they saw the consequences. When they keep telling lies and their claims are proven wrong, they will lose their reputation. That was what happened in some cases. They told lies and took action on the basis of their lies, but then the truth was revealed. Their own nations will hold them responsible for their lies.
Iran is just looking for the nuclear knowledge it needs. If the Iranian nation does not obtain this knowledge today, it will be too late to obtain it tomorrow. It will be too late in the future, the future in which global economy will revolve around nuclear energy instead of oil. They want the Iranian nation to stand idle, waiting for others to help it in the future. The entire nuclear issue boils down to this [nuclear knowledge]. I have said this repeatedly before.
Today we are working in order to obtain the nuclear knowledge we need so that our children, our youth, our future generations, and the great Iranian nation will not be forced to beg this knowledge from the west in the future. Oil belongs to us. We extract it from our own oil reserves and export it to western countries. But westerners are bullying us even in the case of oil! Today western governments are making a greater profit than the oil exporting countries out of the oil that is extracted from the oil wells of this region! Today oil belongs to us, and we have control over it. Yet westerners are bullying us. Just imagine what will happen to the countries that will try to get nuclear energy from westerners in the future. That is what the Islamic Republic is thinking about, so it insists that Iran should obtain this nuclear knowledge and technology. But they cause uproar in the world and ask us why we are trying to achieve nuclear knowledge. They spread slander and mislead global public opinion, claiming that Iran is after a nuclear bomb.
[People shouting, "Nuclear energy is our indisputable right."] Yes, Obviously. It is obvious that nuclear energy is an indisputable right of the Iranian nation. But the problem is that the global arrogant powers are using different kinds of machinations and propaganda techniques in order to deprive the Iranian nation from this indisputable right. We need to have insight. We need to be vigilant. When treading their path, nations should find out what their enemy is doing at critical moments. When they see that they cannot confront a nation through military action or threatening, they start causing trouble through other methods. We should understand this. In such cases, they resort to pretexts and causing discord and enmity. […] Dec. 6, 2009
[…] The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the use of nuclear, chemical and similar weapons as a great and unforgivable sin. We proposed the idea of “Middle East free of nuclear weapons” and we are committed to it. This does not mean forgoing our right to peaceful use of nuclear power and production of nuclear fuel. On the basis of international laws, peaceful use of nuclear energy is a right of every country. All should be able to employ this wholesome source of energy for various vital uses for the benefit of their country and people, without having to depend on others for exercising this right. Some Western countries, themselves possessing nuclear weapons and guilty of this illegal action, want to monopolize the production of nuclear fuel. Surreptitious moves are under way to consolidate a permanent monopoly over production and sale of nuclear fuel in centers carrying an international label but in fact within the control of a few Western countries.
I stress that the Islamic Republic has never been after nuclear weapons and that it will never give up the right of its people to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Our motto is: “Nuclear energy for all and nuclear weapons for none.” We will insist on each of these two precepts, and we know that breaking the monopoly of certain Western countries on production of nuclear energy in the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is in the interest of all independent countries, including the members of the Non-Aligned Movement. […] Aug 30, 2012
