Salehi: We Do Not Need to Acquire Nuclear Equipment from the Black Market

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has denied reports from Germany's security agency about Iran purchasing nuclear weapon-related equipment, stating that Iran does not need to acquire nuclear equipment from the black market. Ali Akbar Salehi, in an interview with IRIB news agency on Saturday, April 8, described the statements of the UN Secretary-General and the German Chancellor as 'strange' and indicative of a 'conspiracy,' expressing that 'I feel they are preparing and cooking against us.' According to a Reuters report, the UN Secretary-General, in his six-month report on Iran, has called for Iran to refrain from testing ballistic missiles, as such tests are inconsistent with the 'constructive spirit' of the nuclear agreement. Recent statements from Chancellor Merkel regarding the dangers of Iran's missile program and its inconsistency with UN Security Council resolutions have also been noted. Salehi stated, 'I am cautious about speaking on this matter and worry that they will say it is a political discussion, but I feel events are unfolding.' He referred to claims by German officials about Iran's attempts to purchase nuclear weapon-related equipment, adding, 'First, such claims were made, and then they said the Atomic Energy Organization did not make such purchases, but it was more for Iran's Ministry of Defense.' Salehi emphasized that Iran can use the 'purchase channel' embedded in the Vienna nuclear agreement to acquire the necessary equipment for its nuclear program 'cheaper, in less time, and with better quality,' and does not need to buy this equipment from the black market at 'higher costs and potential contamination risks.' Salehi's remarks come as the German domestic security agency's report did not mention the Iranian Ministry of Defense. In a report released on Thursday, July 6, the German domestic security agency accused Iran of increasing its efforts to purchase missile components that could be used to build nuclear warheads. The following day, Martin Schaefer, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, explained that 'some forces within Iran' will not miss any opportunity to undermine the nuclear agreement. Chancellor Angela Merkel also defended the deployment of NATO missile defense in Southern Europe due to the 'threat' posed by Iran's missile program, accusing the Islamic Republic of pursuing the construction and expansion of its medium-range missiles in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. These statements were met with a response from the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, who described Merkel's comments as 'unconstructive,' asserting that the Islamic Republic's missile program is not designed for carrying nuclear warheads, does not violate Security Council Resolution 2231, and has 'no connection' to the Vienna nuclear agreement. In another reaction, according to Tasnim news agency, Aladdin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, described Merkel's statements as 'completely political' and a sign of a 'new conspiracy' against the Islamic Republic. He emphasized that Iran's missile capability is not a threat to the region or European countries. Security Council Resolution 2231, issued after the Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, calls on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran asserts that its missile tests are not in contradiction with the nuclear agreement, stating that 'the tested missiles were not designed for carrying nuclear warheads.' Following several missile tests by Iran in the second half of 2015, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, in an early April letter to the rotating president of the Security Council and Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, declared that Iran's missile tests, which included missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, are a 'disregard' for Security Council Resolution 2231 and require an appropriate response. Meanwhile, Ban Ki-moon, in his six-month report to the Security Council, urged Iran to refrain from testing ballistic missiles, as such tests are inconsistent with the 'constructive spirit' of the nuclear agreement and 'have the potential to increase tensions in the region.' In response, an unnamed official from the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that these comments reflect 'the political pressures of one or more permanent members of the Security Council.'