The fatwa have received criticisms regarding the existence, applicability and constancy of it. According to Khalaji, Khamenei may alter his fatwa under critical circumstances, in a similar manner as Khomeini did. While, according to Gareth Porter in Foreign Policy, Iran has sincerely banned the atomic bombs considering the "historical episode during its eight-year war with Iraq", when Iran never sought revenge for Iraqis chemical attacks killing 20,000 Iranians and severely injuring 100,000 more. Also, the fatwa is considered consistent with Islamic tradition.