On February 18, 2010 (30 Bahman 1388), Grand Ayatollah Khamenei issued his historic fatwa prohibiting the production and use of nuclear weapons, rooted in authentic Shiite jurisprudence. Later, in his message to the First International Conference on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation on April 17, 2010 (28 Farvardin 1389), he explicitly declared the development and use of nuclear weapons as absolutely forbidden (haram) and extended this ruling to all weapons of mass destruction.
Although this fatwa was welcomed by many international institutions and religious authorities, some Western policymakers and decision-makers—whether deliberately or unknowingly—portrayed it as a governmental decree (hokm-e hokoumati) issued out of expediency (maslahat) or dissimulation (taqiyya). By claiming that such rulings are temporary and subject to change, they cast doubt on its practical enforceability. This misinterpretation stems either from bias or a lack of understanding of Ayatollah Khamenei’s stance on nuclear weapons, as they conflate the characteristics of governmental decrees and secondary rulings (ahkam-e thanawi), such as taqiyya, and incorrectly apply them to this fatwa.
This article, using an analytical-descriptive methodology, examines the nature and origin of this fatwa and, by referencing jurisprudential sources, answers the question: Is this fatwa a temporary secondary ruling, a governmental decree based on expediency, or a permanent religious edict?
The findings indicate that since this ruling was issued by a fully qualified jurist (faqih-e jame’ al-shara’it) who holds the position of Marja’iyya (religious authority) for Muslims and the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran—and is based on valid religious evidence (including reason, scriptural texts, and established jurisprudential principles)—it must be regarded as a jurisprudential fatwa (fatwa-ye shar’i) with all its implications, such as permanence and universal applicability. Thus, it cannot be considered a ruling based on taqiyya or expediency.
Pouramini, M. H. and Izdehi, S. S. (2025). The Nature and Origins of Ayatollah Khamenei’s View on Nuclear Weapons. Political Science, 28(2), -. doi: 10.22081/psq.2025.71697.2990
MLA
Pouramini, M. H. , and Izdehi, S. S. . "The Nature and Origins of Ayatollah Khamenei’s View on Nuclear Weapons", Political Science, 28, 2, 2025, -. doi: 10.22081/psq.2025.71697.2990
HARVARD
Pouramini, M. H., Izdehi, S. S. (2025). 'The Nature and Origins of Ayatollah Khamenei’s View on Nuclear Weapons', Political Science, 28(2), pp. -. doi: 10.22081/psq.2025.71697.2990
CHICAGO
M. H. Pouramini and S. S. Izdehi, "The Nature and Origins of Ayatollah Khamenei’s View on Nuclear Weapons," Political Science, 28 2 (2025): -, doi: 10.22081/psq.2025.71697.2990
VANCOUVER
Pouramini, M. H., Izdehi, S. S. The Nature and Origins of Ayatollah Khamenei’s View on Nuclear Weapons. Political Science, 2025; 28(2): -. doi: 10.22081/psq.2025.71697.2990
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