Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the remarks while addressing a joint meeting of Iran’s nuclear medicine, radio-oncology, hematology and oncology associations.
He described nuclear science as a key driver of national development and power, rejecting Western accusations against Iran’s nuclear program.
“Nuclear science is a driver of progress and power,” Eslami said.
Eslami said Iran is “duty-bound to move at the frontiers of knowledge,” describing nuclear sciences and technologies as “progress-driving, superiority-creating and power-enhancing” fields that he said have long been monopolized by major powers.
“The real problem they have with us is our presence at this level and in this arena,” he said.
Meanwhile, Eslami expressed hope that cooperation among Iranian specialists could help reduce public suffering and speed up advances in the healthcare sector.
He said Iran had reached its current level of scientific capability “regardless of their dictates and monopolies,” attributing the progress to young Iranian scientists and the guidance of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
“Administrations come and go with different policies, but this goal-setting remains constant,” he added.
Separately, Eslami said recent war-related developments had exposed the pretextual nature of Western accusations against Iran’s nuclear industry.
“If one pays attention to the recent UN Security Council meeting and the remarks by officials of the three European countries, it becomes clear that the main objective is to stop Iran’s progress,” he said, referring to Britain, France and Germany.
He also pointed to Israeli regime’s missile strikes on Isfahan, saying the first target was a facility producing radiopharmaceutical fuel.
He argued that the attack demonstrated hostility toward technologies that directly benefit civilians.
Without nuclear medicine and access to domestically produced nuclear materials, Iran’s healthcare and medical sectors would face deprivation because “they would not provide these materials,” he said.
Referring to a recently released US national security document, Eslami said artificial intelligence, quantum technology and nuclear science were identified as pillars of progress.
“If these are necessary for the US, they must be for other countries as well,” he added.