From the point of view OF Iran, an eventual USA attack seems very probable (regardless of whether Iran has nuclear weapons or not). Under such circumstances, would it not be probable that they would want to have nuclear weapons as an effective deterrent against attack?

Very probable, I would think.

"By opposing an enemy, you give it strength." Lao-Tsu

By threatenind someone constantly, you make it very likely that he will arm himself as potently as he is capable of arming himself.

The USA already HAS the World's biggest stockpile of Nukes, and has already proven itself to be a "rogue nation" ten times over. Why would its declared targets in the World not seek an effective deterrent against being the next one to be attacked? That they would do so is virtually inevitable.

The USA colluded with and armed Iraq in the 1980's to wage an eight-year war against Iran, which killed vast numbers of people. The USA has illegally invaded Iraq under false pretences and invaded Afghanistan under flimsy pretences over what should have been an international police matter, not a war, and the USA has Iran surrounded.

The Iranians would have to be just plain stupid not to develop a nuclear deterrent now...if they were capable of it at all.

No one is going to help them but themselves. They stand alone and surrounded. They have already BEEN attacked heavily in recent times.

And they are human beings, just like you are. What would you do, in their shoes? You would try to prepare to defend yourself.

I get the impression that Iranians are not really seen as human beings by the people who are urging an attack on that country. Israel has nukes, lots of them...but it's never been publicly admitted to.

Apparently, Israelis are considered to be equal human beings, and can have nukes if they want to...but Iraqis and Iranians are not really seen as human beings. They're seen as just vermin, to be exterminated if they show signs of even attempting to play on an even field.

That is the unspoken statement I hear in what people say every day. That is the implicit assumption. It is like what Hitler assumed about the Jews. And the Iranians and Iraqis know it. Can you imagine how they feel about it? Very angry, that's how.