War Pushing Iran Closer to Nuclear Bomb? Tehran's Shifting Calculus Revealed

• Iran's long-held nuclear restraint, based on a religious fatwa, is being questioned amidst ongoing conflict and attacks on nuclear sites.
• Before the war, Iran was a "threshold nuclear state" with technology for weapons but no political decision to build them.
• The war has fundamentally altered Iran's nuclear calculus: military strikes may have hardened the program, influential voices now advocate for nuclear weapons, and lawmakers push for NPT withdrawal.
• Analysts believe the war may be inadvertently fueling Tehran's belief that a nuclear deterrent is essential for regime survival.
• US strategy, including demands to shut down nuclear sites and shifting signals, contributes to the complex situation, raising fears of regional nuclear proliferation.