More Iranians Call for Nuclear Weapons After War With U.S.

Public calls for Iran to develop nuclear weapons have become more prominent after months of war with the United States and Israel. Iranian lawmakers and security figures who favour a bomb argue that it could deter further attacks. The shift builds on an earlier change in public opinion: a survey conducted after the June 2025 strikes found, for the first time in that survey series, a slim majority of respondents favouring both nuclear power and atomic bombs. That finding predates the current war and cannot establish how many Iranians support a bomb today.

Iran has long said its nuclear programme is peaceful, and some Iranian figures still oppose building a weapon, warning that an attempt could invite more attacks. Nor do public calls amount to a government decision. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has seen no effort to repair facilities damaged in the 2025 and 2026 strikes, but it has been unable to verify the status of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The growing debate therefore raises a question for diplomacy: whether military pressure intended to prevent an Iranian bomb is strengthening the case for one among some Iranians.