June 20, 2025
. . . former nuclear chief
The Islamic Republic’s former nuclear chief says Russia and China both restricted Iran’s ability to expand its nuclear program—which would be quite logical if they were suspicious that Iran might be interested in building nuclear weapons.
Both Russia and China have nuclear weapons, and it is not in their national interests for other countries to have such weapons. Ali Akbar Salehi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said June 4 that Russia insisted only Russian-supplied fuel be used at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, despite the fact that Iran produces such fuel on its own. It has long been known that the contacts with Russia for building the Bushehr plant and two other power plants currently under construction require that the fuel be supplied by Russia and that the expended fuel— which can be used in building nuclear weapons—be removed by Russia.
Salehi also revealed that China abandoned Iran’s uranium extraction project midway through development, forcing Iran to continue alone.
Salehi described Iran’s dependence on Russia for fuel the very same day that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi said it was essential that Iran have its own uranium enrichment industry so it would not be dependent on any foreign powers for fuel.
Salehi, who also served as foreign minister, made the comments during a state television interview.
On nuclear negotiations, Salehi said Iran must make concessions in talks with the United States. “If you want to take all the concessions and give nothing, there is no need for negotiations,” he said.
