Addressing worshippers during Friday prayers in Tehran, Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari cautioned against US calls for negotiations, saying that the dispatch of letters and mediators should not lead Iran to lower its guard.

Experience has shown, he noted, that when the Americans speak of negotiations and send messages, a more serious danger or conspiracy may be underway than when they openly threaten war.

Turning to the debate over a possible revision of Iran’s nuclear doctrine, the cleric stressed that the proposal is neither a hasty nor an emotional reaction, but rather the outcome of national maturity and awareness.

He said Iran’s adversaries have crossed all the nation’s red lines, assassinated martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and failed to honor their commitments and agreements.

The cleric said the Iranian people have endured painful experiences over the years as a result of the other side’s conduct and are now raising the issue of revising the nuclear doctrine with greater awareness and insight, viewing it as one of the means of deterrence and ensuring national security.

Haj Ali Akbari said the demand is rooted in the Iranian nation’s right to live with dignity. He noted that some have reacted angrily to the proposal, but emphasized that it represents the will of the nation and should not be attributed to any particular group.

According to the cleric, more than 70 percent of respondents in some previous surveys had favored a review of the nuclear doctrine. Since the issue is raised publicly, he said, a wave of support and requests has emerged from various segments of society, including university students, school students, professors, intellectuals and members of professional associations.

Describing the issue as a national demand, Haj Ali Akbari called on academics, experts and other specialists to study the matter and put forward their proposals and plans. He also urged relevant officials to conduct further assessments so that the resulting proposals could be submitted to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei.

The interim Friday prayer leader said any final decision made by the Leader would be followed, stressing that everyone stands under his banner.