Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Chief Mohammad Eslami On Al-Jazeera: Iran Is Prepared For Nuclear Cooperation With Its Arab Neighbors In The Gulf

Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said in a September 1, 2023 interview on Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) that Iran has cooperated with its Arab neighbors in the field of nuclear medicine and that it is prepared to cooperate with them in other nuclear fields. Eslami said that Iran is working to expand its nuclear activity, adding that Iran will retaliate in a "harsh and destructive" fashion to any military attack on its nuclear facilities.

Interviewer: "Are you engaged in any nuclear cooperation with Arab countries?"

Mohammad Eslami: "We have cooperated in the fields of training and scientific research regarding radioactive materials that are used in medicine. We hope for such collaboration following the development we have witnessed in our relations with the Arab countries is the southern Persian Gulf. The political relations and the renewal of diplomatic relations with some countries can help create scientific, technological, and industrial cooperation, and open a new door to regional cooperation."

Interviewer: "Does this mean that Iran is prepared for nuclear cooperation with the Arab Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and others?"

Eslami: "Definitely. We are prepared for this kind of cooperation. We have contacted the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and presented proposals and projects, because we are ready to cooperate with our Arab neighbors in these areas.

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"Our retaliation for any military attack on our nuclear facilities will be harsh and destructive. For us, that is undebatable. Anyone who thinks of launching an attack against us should know that we will not hesitate in this matter.

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"Why should the nations of the world, including the Iranian people, be denied this technology? Today, we use nuclear technology in the field of medicine, forensics, industry, agriculture, and the environment.

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"France produces over 76% of its electricity using nuclear energy. All the countries of the world, including our neighbors, are moving to manufacture nuclear plants for electricity production. How come only Iran faces threats, sanctions, sabotage attacks to destroy its nuclear facilities, assassination of its scientists, and pressure through the international institutions? All this is meant to make the Iranian people surrender. This will never happen.

"We are working to expand our [nuclear] activity. We have done this by designing and building nuclear plants on our own. We have signed contracts with several countries, but these countries have shown no commitment to the agreements – I am talking about countries like France, Germany, and the U.S.. These countries have not abided by their commitments. These countries received money in return for these agreements but did not fulfill their part. Some of them abandoned the projects because of the sanctions. We have suffered these damages for three decades. Are we expected to sit idly by? Rest assured that we will not do that."