Who should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons?

This article was last updated on July 18, 2025

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Who should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons?

By: Tanveer Jafri

                   The recent war between Israel and Iran has shocked and worried the whole world. For many years, Israel has tried to pull Iran into a direct war, but Iran always avoided fighting face-to-face. However, on June 13, Israel launched a major air strike on Iran. Shortly after the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu justified the strike in a TV broadcast, accusing Iran of trying to build a nuclear bomb and repeating his concern that Iran’s nuclear weapons could destroy Israel. In this attack, Israel also killed several of Iran’s nuclear scientists and top army commanders.

              Israel attacked just two days before a planned nuclear deal between Iran and the United States, which was expected to reach a final agreement on June 15. By striking first, Israel dealt a big blow to Iran. After the attack, US President Donald Trump surprised everyone by saying he already knew about the attack before it happened and that several Iranian hardliners (nuclear negotiators) were killed. He warned Iran that if it does not make a deal, it could face even larger attacks. Trump also praised Israel’s actions, calling them “fantastic” and said Iran must give up its wish to get nuclear weapons. He also said the US is Israel’s biggest supporter. It is clear that the US is fully involved in Israel’s surprise attack on Iran.

                             Let’s look back at 2003, when Saddam Hussein was in power in Iraq. At that time, the US President, George W. Bush, and his government claimed that Saddam Hussein had chemical, biological, and possibly even nuclear weapons, which could be a danger to global security. They said this claim was based on secret intelligence reports. Using this “secret intelligence” as a reason, the US launched a major military operation called “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and attacked Iraq. After the invasion, Iraq was left badly damaged. A local court was set up, and Saddam Hussein was later sentenced to death and executed. After the change in power, it became clear that the information about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction was wrong — no such weapons were found there. It is widely believed that the real reasons for the US attack were to gain control over Iraq’s oil resources and to increase American influence in the Middle East. After the destruction of Iraq and the change in government, the US also argued that Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship was harmful for the Iraqi people and for peace in the region.

                        Anyway, today, the same America that not only tried to destroy Iraq, but is also guilty of dropping nuclear bombs on Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945—should we let that America decide which country should or should not have nuclear weapons? The same America that has attacked countries like Korea, Guatemala, Indonesia, Cuba, Congo, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Grenada, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Iran (1987), Panama, Iraq, Kuwait, Somalia, Bosnia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia, and is responsible for making their governments unstable—can such a country decide who should have nuclear weapons? Or should it be decided by that illegal country, Israel, which, with the support of America and Britain, has taken over Palestinian land and is accused of killing about 82,000 people in Gaza and making nearly 2 million people homeless, causing a humanitarian crisis in the region? Should such a country decide who can have nuclear weapons? Just think—the countries that spread instability around the world, increase regional conflicts, make money from selling weapons, keep an eye on resources like oil, and whose business has become to create divisions among neighbouring countries and start wars—how can these countries decide who should have nuclear weapons and who should not?

                           Today, the country with the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world is the United States of America. Besides them, countries like Russia, China, France, the UK (Britain), Israel, North Korea, India, and Pakistan are also counted as nuclear-armed countries. Even though Iran has always said that its nuclear development is for peaceful purposes, like meeting its energy needs, people wonder: Why is it not considered important for a country like Iran to stand strong against a country like Israel? Israel—which many see as humanity’s biggest killer, bombing hungry, unarmed children and elder’s and women, constantly carrying out massacres, and, with the help of its military power and support from America, keeps expanding the land it occupies—is a country that is trying to drive Palestinians, the very people who hosted them, out of their own homeland. Israel, following America’s lead, is playing politics that divide the whole Middle East. So, isn’t it important to have a country like Iran stand firm against Israel, to keep a balance in the region? Should the whole Middle East be left to depend on what America and Israel decide—allowing them, whenever they want, to turn any country into another Gaza, Yemen, or Lebanon? Is this a situation we should accept?

             There is no situation worse than war. Innocent women, children, and old people have always been the victims of it. War hurts all of humanity. In the right way, the whole world should not only be free from nuclear weapons, but it should be free from all weapons. But countries like America and Israel have misused their power for many years, and this continues without stopping. Is it wrong to stand up for your self-respect and dignity instead of just giving in to them? The world is praising Iran today because it is standing tall with determination against America and Israel. But these countries keep trying to destroy Iran—sometimes by supporting the son of Iran’s exiled Shah, sometimes by causing internal problems, and sometimes by using Israel’s spy agency. They want to remove Iran’s strong government and put their own weak governments in place. Then they can take Iran’s oil as they wish. But Iran thinks of martyrdom as a jewel and is inspired by the story of Karbala. They do not fear the threats of America and Israel. Doesn’t Iran have the right to protect itself? Should only those countries who have written stories of killing, decide who can have nuclear weapons and who cannot?

By

Tanveer Jafri

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