Iranian officials say decision is theirs to build bomb

Iranian officials have created a storm of controversy over the weekend with comments regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities. 

The first official to speak about it was Khamal Kharazi, adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and chairman of the Strategic Council of Foreign Relations. During an interview with Al Jazeera on July 17, Kharazi was asked about the indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Kharazi said that given the US actions, especially their withdrawal from the deal in 2018, “It is difficult to conduct direct negotiations.”