Nuclear Chief: ‘Israeli’ Sabotage Fueled Iran’s Nuclear Self‑Sufficiency.

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization [IAEO], Mohammad Eslami, said Zionist infiltration and sabotage of the country’s nuclear program forced Tehran to develop a fully indigenous nuclear industry, framing it as a response to ongoing attacks and pressure.

“The complexity of nuclear technologies is extremely high, and their equipment and infrastructure are not easily obtainable, particularly under conditions where supply routes are tainted by Zionist infiltration and sabotage,” Eslami noted, addressing an event in Tehran on Wednesday.

“For this reason, Iran was compelled to create the entire chain of research, design, construction, testing, and technological maturation internally; a path that has now borne fruit,” he added.

The official noted that Iran today was facing a situation where the enemy, employing all its might, tools, facilities, and capacities, was trying to bring the nation down. “The target is not just the territory, but the Iranian people themselves,” he underlined.

The AEOI chief criticized efforts by the US, citing its 2026 National Security Strategy to advance interests worldwide by diplomacy or force.

He added that over the years, adversaries have targeted Iran’s nuclear program with accusations, sanctions, assassinations, threats, and even attacks on nuclear sites.

In spite of these campaigns, however, the country now possesses a homegrown and dependable nuclear industry, the official said. “Today, the AEOI and the Iranian people possess an efficient, indigenous, and reliable nuclear industry.”

Eslami linked Iran’s scientific and technological progress to the Islamic Revolution and its leadership, calling the nuclear sector a prime example.

“Thanks to the Islamic Revolution, the guidance of [the late founder of the Islamic Republic] Imam Khomeini and [his successor] Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, and relying on the determination of young, knowledgeable, and committed forces, Iran has reached a leading level in the fields of modern science and technology,” he stated.

Eslami highlighted the civilian benefits of Iran’s nuclear program. “Today, Iran ranks among the leading countries in the production of radiopharmaceuticals, and in addition to meeting domestic needs, its products are also in demand by other countries; a capacity that has played a vital role, particularly in cancer treatment,” he said.

“Each gram of heavy water derivatives is worth tens of thousands of dollars, and this field is a real example of a knowledge-based economy; a position that enemies cannot tolerate and do not want Iran to hold as a reliable actor among the main global players.”

In his concluding remarks, Eslami referred to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran, hailing that the facility had entered its eleventh year of stable operation.

The plant has shown that the belief in absolute dependence on foreign partnership can be broken, and that Iran has the ability to consolidate and develop its strategic infrastructure, he said.