The statement of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani at United Nations that, “Nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction have no place in Iran’s security and defense doctrine, and contradict our fundamental religious and ethical convictions,” — has in fact created serious questions and concerns for world peace as given below:

1. First and foremost, though from the statement it sounds as if he is talking only about weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) but still Rowhani needs to clarify what does he mean by nuclear weapons? These nuclear weapons can be of two types. One the WMDs like the ones used against Japan and others where nuclear power is used only on military targets in weapons, equipment, machines etc like in missiles, sub-marines etc.

2. As far as nuclear weapons are concerned Rowhani can not claim any ‘exceptionalism’ on the part of Iran because every country and every religion will say that nuclear and other WMDs have no place in their security and defense doctrine, and contradict their fundamental religious and ethical convictions. But there will be no such foolish country worth the name on this earth, which will say the same thing about non-WMD nuclear weapons like nuclear missiles etc.

3. While clarifying his said UN statement, the moment Rowhani says that Iran will not make non-WMD nuclear weapons too, he will realize that not only hardliner civilian element (including politicians) and military of Iran but even Ayatollah Khamenei (the supreme leader) will find it difficult to support such a position of Rowhani. — Hem Raj Jain, via e-mail