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The Iranian regime stands at a precarious crossroads, gripped by mounting anxiety over its nuclear program—a cornerstone of its identity and a symbol of its defiance against Western powers and a boiling society.
Recent statements from Iranian regime officials and state media reveal a deep-seated fear that the loss of the nuclear project could precipitate the fall of the regime itself. This anxiety, rooted in both strategic and ideological concerns, is amplified by escalating international pressure and the specter of renewed sanctions or military action. The regime’s rhetoric, laced with defiance and desperation, underscores the existential stakes tied to its nuclear ambitions.
A Nuclear Program Under Siege
The week of June 7, 2025, marked a pivotal moment for Iran regime’s nuclear file, as Western governments, including the United States and the three European parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—prepared a resolution to condemn Iran’s regime at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors.
The resolution accuses Iran’s regime of failing to meet its safeguards obligations, a charge that Tehran vehemently rejects. Shahab Shahsavari, a regime’s international affairs reporter for the state-run Ham-Mihan newspaper, noted on June 7 that such a resolution could push Tehran-Europe relations, already at their coldest since the 1979 revolution, to a breaking point.
The #Iranian Regime’s Nuclear Deadlock: Fear, Frustration, and the Theater of Defiancehttps://t.co/hDxtZFNqIi
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 5, 2025
Iran regime’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, responded with a sharp rebuke on the social media platform X, accusing the European trio of leveling “false accusations” based on “flimsy and politicized reports” to manufacture a crisis.
He warned that Iran’s regime would respond “decisively” to any violation of its rights, signaling Tehran’s readiness to escalate if pushed further. Araghchi’s remarks reflect a broader concern within the regime: that Western pressure, particularly if it leads to a referral of Iran’s file to the UN Security Council or the activation of the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism, could unravel not only the nuclear program but also Iran regime’s broader geopolitical influence.
Hassan Beheshtipour, a regime-affiliated nuclear affairs expert, drew parallels to the early 2000s, when Western governments issued nine IAEA resolutions against the Iranian regime before referring its file to the Security Council in 2006. “The current circumstances are similar,” Beheshtipour warned, suggesting that Europe’s actions are a deliberate attempt to corner the regime and extract concessions.
#Khamenei’s Rejection of U.S. #Nuclear Offer Reveals Deeper Fear of Internal Unrest Than Foreign Threatshttps://t.co/ArNlEG5qDL
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 4, 2025
The Nuclear Program as a Pillar of Regime Survival
For the Iranian regime, the nuclear program is more than a scientific or strategic asset—it is a linchpin of its legitimacy and survival. Ali Asghar Nakhee-Rad, a member of the regime’s parliament, articulated this on June 8, emphasizing that the nuclear file directly impacts Iran’s economic future, security, and international standing.
Criticizing the Foreign Ministry for negotiating on “minimal demands” rather than upholding the regime’s uncompromising stance, Nakhee-Rad declared 60% uranium enrichment a “red line” that must not be crossed. His remarks betray a profound anxiety that any retreat on the nuclear front could signal weakness, inviting further Western aggression and destabilizing the regime’s grip on power.
This fear is echoed in the regime’s ideological narrative, which ties the nuclear program to the concept of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), the foundational principle of the Iranian regime.
#Iranian Nuclear Chief Admits Regime Exploited #JCPOA to “Close File,” Blames @Mojahedineng for Derailing Secret Strategyhttps://t.co/Jbqr6xPPJo
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 3, 2025
Hamid Rasaee, a member of the parliament’s Cultural Committee, argued on June 7 on the official state News Network (IRIB) that the nuclear industry’s survival hinges on the Supreme Leader’s authority. “If there were no Supreme Leader,” Rasaee asserted, “our nuclear industry would have been dismantled and destroyed.”
He framed Western opposition to Iran regime’s nuclear ambitions as part of a broader campaign against the regime’s foundation, citing historical American statements that their quarrel is not with the regime but with its theocratic leadership. For Rasaee, the nuclear program is a shield for the revolution’s ideological core, without which the regime risks collapse.
A Defiant Yet Anxious Clergy
The regime’s clergy, a key pillar of its authority, have also voiced alarm over the nuclear program’s fate. Rasoul Fallahati, the Friday Prayer Leader of Rasht, declared on Baran Network Television on June 7 that the United States and its allies seek to “bring the Islamic Republic to its knees” by depriving it of nuclear energy, which he described as a “natural blessing.”
His rhetoric casts the nuclear program as a divine right, intertwining it with the regime’s religious legitimacy. Similarly, Ali Hosseinipour, the Friday prayer leader of Arak, speaking during the Eid al-Adha prayer, denounced the United States as a criminal power with no legitimate standing to dictate Iran’s nuclear policy. “Who is America that we should compromise or yield to them?” Hosseinipour said, expressing outrage at Western demands to control Iran’s nuclear capabilities. His call for defiance, however, is tinged with frustration, reflecting the regime’s growing sense of encirclement.
IAEA Report and Geo-Economic Data Expose #Iran’s Nuclear Program as Weapons-Drivenhttps://t.co/Z8PTOUIIjx
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 3, 2025
A Regime on the Brink
The Iranian regime’s rhetoric in early June 2025 reveals a profound fear that the loss of its nuclear program could trigger a cascade of crises, culminating in its downfall. The nuclear file is not merely a technical issue but a symbol of the regime’s defiance, legitimacy, and ideological mission.
As Western powers tighten the noose through IAEA resolutions and potential Security Council action, Tehran’s leaders are grappling with the existential threat of losing their nuclear ambitions—and with them, the revolution itself.
The regime’s defiant posture, articulated by parliamentarians, clergy, and officials, masks a deeper anxiety: that the collapse of the nuclear program could unravel the delicate balance of power that has sustained the Iranian regime for over four decades. As international pressure mounts, the regime’s leaders are left to navigate a perilous path.