For two decades, one document stood between Iran and the bomb — at least in diplomatic terms. Ayatollah Khamenei’s fatwa against nuclear weapons was cited in international negotiations, referenced by Western analysts, and treated by some governments as genuine evidence that Iran would not pursue nuclear arms. On February 28, 2026, Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike. The fatwa died with him. And 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — enough, if further enriched, for ten nuclear weapons — sit in an underground tunnel complex in Isfahan, beyond the reach of international inspectors. The question is no longer whether Iran has the technical capacity to build a nuclear weapon. The question is whether anything still prevents it from doing so.
The Fatwa: Diplomatic Shield, Not Religious Conviction.
For years, Iran’s nuclear fatwa served as a centerpiece of its diplomatic defense. Iranian officials cited it at the United Nations, in negotiations with the P5+1, and in public statements intended to reassure the international community. Some Western analysts accepted it as a meaningful constraint.
The diplomatic shield is gone.
As of the IAEA’s last verified inspection on June 13, 2025 — the day Israeli strikes began — Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. This is the largest stockpile of highly enriched uranium held by any non-nuclear-weapon state in history. The majority — over 200 kilograms — was stored in an underground tunnel complex at Isfahan. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed in March 2026 that the material is “probably still there.” Satellite imagery shows the tunnel complex sustained minimal damage from the June 2025 strikes, with regular vehicular activity continuing around its entrance. Additional quantities were stored at Natanz and possibly Fordow. (Read More)
