Iranian Nat’l Interests Guide Nuclear Program

A senior diplomat said Iran’s decisions on the development of its nuclear program are based on its interests and not affected by foreign pressures.   
“Iran makes decisions on its nuclear program based on national interests,” spokesman for Iran’s permanent mission to the UN, Alireza Miryousefi, told Newsweek in a recent talk.
He pointed to Iran’s steps to suspend its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and said the measures will not be reversed, as long as the US refuses to adhere to its obligations and the Europeans fail to normalize trade ties with Tehran as per the international accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“As you know, the steps taken since the US withdrew from the JCPOA are incremental and will be in effect as long as other parties are in violation of the accord and/or are not fulfilling their obligations,” he said.
In a unilateral move in defiance of global criticism, US President Donald Trump pulled out of JCPOA in 2018 and reinstated sanctions that had been lifted under the deal. The Trump administration has also imposed new sanctions on Iran, as last-ditch efforts to crush the country’s economy in line with the US “maximum pressure” campaign before handing power to the next administration.
In the interview, the Iranian diplomat also commented on the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh that Tehran has blamed on Israel and said vengeance was still in the works for his killing.
"Retaliation for Dr. Fakhrizadeh’s assassination will come in due course against the perpetrators of the terrorist action, and at a time and place of our choosing," Miryousefi said.
Iran has vowed a harsh revenge for the scientist’s murder.
A top nuclear and defense scientist, Fakhrizadeh was assassinated on Nov. 27 after an explosion and automatic gunfire near the capital Tehran.
In a separate interview, Miryousefi told NBC News that Iran’s nuclear work will continue despite attempts to disrupt it.
He said Iran has foiled numerous plots and will remain vigilant against threats from abroad.
“While a great scientist and a national hero has been brutally murdered by state-ordered terrorists, Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will continue according to plan,” he told NBC News in an email.
The Iranian envoy also reaffirmed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear work, citing a fatwa (religious decree) by Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, which bans the development and production of weapons of mass destruction, including nukes, as contrary to Islam.   
“Iran has always maintained that our nuclear program is for peaceful purposes,” Miryousefi stressed.