Medvedev warns more countries may seek nuclear weapons amid Middle East conflict
Quick Look
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev stated in an interview with Iran's IRIB that the Middle East conflict has prompted more countries to consider obtaining nuclear weapons, arguing that attempts to change Iran's regime by force have increased nuclear proliferation risks.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Middle East conflict has intensified regional tensions, with the U.S. and its allies criticizing Iran's nuclear program, which Iran says is peaceful. Medvedev links Western pressure on Iran to increased nuclear proliferation.
TEHRAN, October 3. /TASS/. The Middle East conflict has prompted much more countries to consider obtaining nuclear weapons, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in an interview.
"The attempt to change the foundations of the political regime in Iran by force and essentially withdraw it from the active players has actually led to much more countries weighing possessing nuclear weapons," the politician said as he criticized the US policy course here as reckless.
The so-called nuclear program of the Islamic Republic was the formal reason for launching the military aggression in the Persian Gulf, Medvedev argued.
"If before the talk about nuclear weapons was totally conventional or even abstract, I am adamant that after what happened a large number of countries, including in the Middle East, will seek nuclear weapons. For nukes only can in effect thwart a global conflict as recent events showed in no uncertain terms," he maintained.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
More countries in the Middle East will seek nuclear weapons
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Which specific countries are considering nuclear weapons?
- What evidence supports the claim that regime change attempts directly caused nuclear proliferation interest?
- How does Medvedev define 'active players' in the political regime context?
