Iran nuclear chief says technology safe from US attacks, threats

• Iran’s atomic energy chief Mohammad Eslami says the country’s nuclear program cannot be stopped by threats, sanctions pressure or military attacks.
• Eslami criticized US threats against Iranian nuclear facilities, describing Washington’s rhetoric at the United Nations as a sign of “helplessness.”

Iran’s nuclear technology cannot be disrupted or halted by external threats, political pressure or military attacks, the head of the country’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, has said.

Eslami described Iran’s nuclear advances as a national achievement built through the sustained efforts of Iranian scientists and researchers, rejecting what he called excessive demands from foreign powers.

Speaking to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Eslami criticized US rhetoric at the United Nations, saying threats against Iranian nuclear facilities reflected Washington’s inability to prevent the country’s technological development.

“Overt threats by US officials to use tactical weapons against Iran’s nuclear facilities, delivered right from the United Nations podium, and talk of destroying Iran’s ancient civilization reveal helplessness in the face of a pioneering nation that has historically been the cradle of science, knowledge, and technology,” Eslami was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

US officials have repeatedly warned that Washington could launch targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities if diplomatic efforts to restrict Iran’s nuclear activities fail.

The remarks come amid continued tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and disputes over international efforts to limit its nuclear activities.

Eslami said Iran’s nuclear capabilities were the result of years of work by domestic scientists and researchers and could not be eliminated through external pressure.

“The localisation of nuclear technology is the result of round-the-clock efforts and sacrifices by young Iranian researchers and scientists; an indigenous and national achievement that will never be halted by threats, pressure, or indiscriminate attacks,” he said.

He added that Iran would not surrender to what he described as excessive demands.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, while the United States has sought restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities amid concerns over the potential development of nuclear weapons.

Eslami’s remarks underscore Tehran’s position that its nuclear capabilities are a long-term national achievement that cannot be dismantled through threats or military action.