A media outlet affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps argued Sunday that Tehran has "no choice" but to develop a nuclear weapon.

That intensifies concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions just weeks after the country pledged under a new agreement with the U.S. that it would not pursue an atomic bomb.

The commentary appeared in the state-linked Fars News Agency under the headline "No Choice but to Build the Atomic Bomb" and argued that Iran must strengthen its strategic position before engaging in negotiations with its adversaries.

"To achieve the peace and calm that Iran needs, it must absolutely reach nuclear deterrence to ensure that the rest of the issues can be resolved through negotiation," the article said, according to a translation from the New York Post.

The commentary compared Iran's situation with China's emergence as a nuclear power during the Cold War, arguing that Beijing secured negotiations with Washington only after demonstrating a nuclear deterrent.

"America threatened China with nuclear attack twice — similar to [President Donald] Trump's recent nuclear threats against Iran — but when did [Henry] Kissinger secretly meet with the Chinese and then negotiate? It was when China built the atomic bomb," the article said.

The article also argued, "Nuclear deterrence means that you can reach a balance of power against America and Israel, who possess atomic bombs — not so that war does not happen, but so that the scope of conflict remains controllable."

The remarks stand in contrast to commitments Iran made earlier this month under a memorandum of understanding negotiated with the Trump administration following months of military conflict and diplomatic talks.

Under the preliminary agreement, Iran pledged not to develop a nuke and agreed in principle to restore monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency while the two sides work toward a broader accord.

Public disagreements have since emerged over when inspectors will be permitted to resume work inside Iran's nuclear facilities.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Friday that declarations from Tehran alone are insufficient to verify compliance with the agreement.

"The government of Iran has affirmed quite clearly that [developing nuclear weapons] is not their intention, but, of course, intentions are not enough," Grossi said.

"In order to have certainty, we need to have a very strong system of verification as soon as practicable."

Grossi has repeatedly stressed that international inspectors must regain access to Iranian nuclear facilities to determine whether Tehran is complying with its commitments and to verify the status of its nuclear materials.

Iran has not granted inspectors access to nuclear sites damaged during U.S. military strikes earlier this year, and the IAEA has said it has not been able to verify the location or status of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium since oversight was interrupted.

Although the Fars commentary does not represent an official policy announcement by the Iranian government, the agency is widely viewed as closely aligned with the IRGC and often reflects hard-line views within Iran's security establishment.

The publication is likely to complicate fragile negotiations between Washington and Tehran as both sides try to finalize a permanent nuclear agreement while maintaining a ceasefire following this year's conflict. 

U.S. officials have repeatedly said any lasting deal must include verifiable assurances that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon, while Tehran continues to insist it has no intention of building one even as hard-line voices call for a nuclear deterrent.