Pezeshkian: Nuclear Weapons are "Religiously Forbidden"—Iranian President Defends State Actions Amid Geneva Talks

On the sidelines of the high-stakes Geneva negotiations, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed on Thursday, February 26, 2026, that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons. He stated that this stance is rooted in a "theological and jurisprudential foundation," specifically citing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s fatwa against weapons of mass destruction. Pezeshkian emphasized that while politicians might shift positions, a religious decree remains a "fixed rule."

Addressing domestic unrest, the President accused "enemies" of exploiting recent protests to attempt regime change. He directly challenged President Trump’s claims regarding the death toll from January’s events, asserting that Iran has been transparent with its official lists of casualties. Pezeshkian drew a sharp line between "peaceful protesters" and those involved in "attacking security forces," framing the latter as agents of foreign destabilization.