TEHRAN, Iran: Iran nuclear bomb calls grew louder Tuesday after lawmaker Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani said Tehran should build one, Iran International reported.
Ardestani, a member of parliament’s national security committee, said Iran had “paid enough of the costs” and now needed to build a nuclear bomb.
The comment marked a hardline statement by an individual lawmaker. Iran has not announced an official change to its stated position that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Ardestani also criticised Oman after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Muscat. He said the United States spoke to Iran through Oman, according to Iran International.
The remark came amid renewed regional tension around the Strait of Hormuz and stalled nuclear diplomacy. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in its June 2026 safeguards report that it could not verify key aspects of Iran’s nuclear activity because of lost monitoring access.
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The Institute for Science and International Security said its analysis of the June 2026 IAEA reports showed a near-total loss of monitoring at Iranian nuclear sites and unresolved safeguards concerns.
Iran International previously reported that Ardestani had made similar nuclear-weapons remarks in earlier political disputes, including after a 2025 conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Ardestani’s latest comment reflected pressure from hardliners but did not amount to a confirmed government decision.
