Iranian Lawmaker Says He Will Propose A Bill Banning Nuclear Weapons

A reformist member of Iran’s parliament has tweeted May 31 that he will present a bill to ban nuclear weapons for the country.

Mahmoud Sadeghi, who was elected from Tehran, is a vocal critique of hardliners in Iran. He used public statements of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as the basis of his initiative. He said that since Khamenei has declared nuclear weapons to be a violation of Sharia he will propose a bill to ban their development.

“Considering the Fatwa of the Supreme Leader about the religious prohibition on nuclear weapons, I will present a bill to Majles banning its production”, Sadeghi wrote in his tweet.

Khamenei had announced on May 29 “Iran is not after nuclear weapons…not because of America’s sanctions, but because of our principle that [nuclear weapons] are haram based on religion and Sharia”.

It is possible that Sadeghi's move is endorsed by higher authorities in Iran.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump announced in Japan that Washington is not after “regime change” but wants to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.