Iran's Security Chief Blames US for Global Nuclear Instability
Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, accused US President Donald Trump of creating "nuclear insecurity" instead of strengthening global nuclear security, during an interview with IRIB on Saturday. Rezaei said Washington's actions have increased countries' interest in acquiring nuclear weapons, asserting "Instead of nuclear security, Trump has created nuclear insecurity."
Rezaei reiterated Iran's compliance with international nuclear regulations, stating that Iran has remained a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), submitted to inspections under international safeguards, and accepted all international safeguards. He said Iran is "ahead of all other countries" in its commitment to nuclear energy regulations.
He further claimed that "Trump's stupidity in attacking Iran increased the world's desire for the atomic bomb, especially when they saw that membership in the Atomic Energy Organization and the NPT was ineffective in preventing an American attack." This perspective was echoed in a report by Russia's TASS agency, which quoted Rezaei as saying that aggressive US actions have prompted many countries to consider obtaining nuclear weapons, triggering global nuclear instability. The TASS report, sourced from the Tasnim news agency and datelined Rabat on August 22, quoted Rezaei as saying "The foolishness of [US President Donald] Trump, expressed in his attacks on Iran, has fuelled the world's desire to obtain nuclear weapons when it became clear that membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons will not prevent the US from attacking."
Rezaei also accused the Americans of betraying negotiations and diplomacy, and of violating their signature under a bilateral memorandum of understanding with Iran. He argued that Iran needs to update its military and diplomatic strategy in light of these violations, stating "Following the negotiations and the violation of US promises to the Islamic Republic, we need to carry out reforms in our diplomatic approach to the [rest of the] world."
US Announces 'Economic D-Day' Against Iran
The sharp exchange came against the backdrop of an escalation in US economic pressure. President Trump announced an "Economic D-Day" campaign against Iran, describing it as the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country." The campaign, he said, would target Iran's economic lifelines, including oil smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies. Trump asserted that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon," and warned that Washington has "very draconian sanctions" available against Tehran.
Trump's announcement was met with immediate response from Iranian officials. First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref criticized the US economic pressure campaign in a statement, saying sanctions would not change the Iranian people's resolve and that the government will not allow what he characterized as "America's economic terrorism" to target the economy. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi rejected Trump's announcement, saying the latest pressure campaign is "bound to fail." He argued that previous sanctions policies have not forced Tehran to change its position, and has been described as a diversion from America's own crisis, including unprecedented debt and surging interest costs.
Divergent Viewpoints in the Escalating Standoff
Washington's Position
President Trump maintains that the measures are aimed at preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon and says the "Economic D-Day" campaign is the strongest step yet to force Tehran to change its behavior. He has warned of "very draconian sanctions," and he urged US allies to join in isolating the Islamic Republic.
Tehran's Counter-narrative
Iranian officials, led by Rezaei and echoed by Aref and Araghchi, portray US actions as a ploy that has actually increased the world's desire for atomic bombs, endangered nuclear stability, and violate earlier commitments. They maintain Iran's compliance with NPT and international safeguards, and assert that economic pressure will not weaken Iran's resolve.