The statement of the Iranian President was clarified to be fake news.
The Iranian students studied under the atomic agency during the shah era in America and stole the nuclear knowledge like many countries did like Pakistan, China, India, like a theif in the night.
As for PL it hurts me their not doing the same or at least knowledge transfers with either Pakistan or Iran, you cannot safeguard your independence without nuclear weapons, the Americans have largest GDP and thru their investor class can throw money into any democracy like they do in their homeland and no country can withstand that type of financial influence. That's why countries like china and north Korea and even parts of South America have awoken to this loophole of America strict pursuing of democracy which is just a veil they know they can control your country existence thru it's financial industrial complex
If America doesn't control U thru aid, it's then their investors who will and if they can't do any of that then it's military industrial complex(direct or indirect proxy war, business sanctions, global embargos like north korea and Iran)
No country is cleared for nation building loans either thru IMF if they even smell a potential threat