Former parliamentarian and IRGC commander Mansour Haghighatpour made the remarks in response to recent remarks made by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei advisor Ali Larijani that implied US threats might pressure Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
“The Supreme Leader once declared that building nuclear weapons was religiously forbidden, but he didn't prohibit the knowledge of how to produce them. Currently, we don't have nuclear weapons. However, if we face the threat of an atomic bomb, should we defend ourselves, or simply sit by and be torn apart like Hiroshima and Nagasaki?”
Haghighatpour told Iranian media that such talks are necessary because of Iran's unique situation.