TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Boroujerdi, strongly denies the accusation that his country is developing nuclear weapons. He refers to the claim as an old propaganda that is repeatedly made without evidence.
"The same accusation was used when they wanted to attack Iraq. They accused Iraq of having weapons of mass destruction. But the accusation was baseless," said Boroujerdi during an exclusive interview with Tempo at his residence in Menteng, Jakarta, on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
He revealed that for over a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been continuously voicing unproven nuclear threats from Iran. According to him, from 2013 to 2019, Netanyahu repeatedly claimed that Iran would have a nuclear bomb within weeks.
"If it's true, we should have nuclear weapons by now," he said.
Criticism Against the U.S. and Israel
Boroujerdi then questioned who has the authority to declare a country deviating from peaceful purposes in nuclear development. "Is it the Zionist regime of Israel? Is it America? Or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)? Who is the authorized institution or party to technically address this?" he said.
According to him, if the parties feeling authorized are Israel and the United States, it is highly unreasonable. "I think this is the bitterest joke of the contemporary era that we are facing," he said. He emphasized that Israel is not a member of the IAEA, has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), does not implement additional protocols, and has between 75 and 400 nuclear warheads.
Boroujerdi finds it illogical that Iran, a member of the IAEA, signatory to the NPT, voluntarily implementing additional protocols, and never threatening neighboring countries, is facing international pressure. Meanwhile, the United States, the only country that has ever used nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is supporting Israel to pressure Iran. "This is certainly unreasonable," he said.
Strict IAEA Supervision
Boroujerdi stated that Iran has undergone hundreds of inspections by the IAEA to prove that their nuclear activities are not deviating from peaceful purposes. "In 2024, for example, Iran's nuclear activities have been inspected by the IAEA more than 450 times," he said. He detailed that the IAEA, in various reports, confirmed that there was no diversion from Iran's nuclear activities toward non-peaceful ends.
Therefore, he stated that if an official body like the IAEA has confirmed no violations, then the narrative of nuclear threats from Iran should be null and void. "If the United States or the Zionist Regime is entitled to state this, I think this is a very wrong approach," he said.
Netanyahu's Longstanding Accusations
According to a report by Al Jazeera, Netanyahu has voiced nuclear threats from Iran since 1992, when he was still a member of the Israeli parliament. At that time, he stated that Iran would be capable of making a nuclear bomb within three to five years.
Similar claims have been reiterated, including in his book in 1995, when he testified in the U.S. Congress in 2002, and when he brought a cartoon bomb image to the UN General Assembly in 2012. At that time, Netanyahu said, "By next spring, at most by next summer … they will have finished the medium enrichment and move on to the final stage."
More than 30 years after his initial warning, Netanyahu's accusations have not changed. "If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time," he recently said.
Editor's Choice: Iran Says It Seeks to Prevent Escalation into World War III
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Russia, China Discuss Ukraine War and Relations with the US
2 jam lalu
The Russian and Chinese foreign ministers met in Beijing to discuss the war in Ukraine and their relations with the United States.
Gaza Death Toll Reaches 58,000 as Israeli Strikes Continue
2 jam lalu
At least 95 Palestinians were killed when Israel bombed markets and water distribution points in Gaza.
Aid Ship Reembarks on Mission to Breach Gaza Blockade
5 jam lalu
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is attempting to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip once again with a new ship, the Handala.
Israel Poised to Propose Troop Withdrawal from Gaza
5 jam lalu
Israel is expected to propose a new troop withdrawal plan during ceasefire negotiations in Doha.
Israel Keeps Bombing Gaza, Killing Dozens While Queuing for Food Aid
19 jam lalu
A total of 110 Palestinian citizens died in an Israeli military attack in Gaza on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
Today's Top 3 News: US Aware of Israeli Settlers' Fatal Beating of American Citizen in West Bank
21 jam lalu
Here is the list of the top 3 news on Tempo English today.
US and China Resurrecting Cold War-Era Ekranoplan 'Sea Monster' Ship
1 hari lalu
A report on the development of new versions of high-speed sea vehicles by the US and China.
Today's Top 3 News: Iranian Ambassador Calls Israel a 'Malignant Tumor' in Middle East
1 hari lalu
Here is the list of the top 3 news on Tempo English today.
US Aware of Israeli Settlers' Fatal Beating of American Citizen in West Bank
1 hari lalu
Israeli settlers in the West Bank have reportedly beaten an American citizen to death, according to the victim's family and human rights groups.
Khamenei Threatens Further Strikes on US Bases, Pentagon Confirms Missile Hit
1 hari lalu
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on July 11, 2025, that U.S. military bases in the Middle East could face further attacks.
