I'm not joking. Nuclear weapons are not just tools for mass-murder. First of all, nuclear weapons are tools of deterrence, and demand responsibility. This sort of level-up would change the whole game. There would be no need in playing proxy-games with certain "terroristic" groups, but need in ability to play nuclear-detereence game, meaning, changing of financial streams from Islamic Revolutionary Guard to the Army or Fleet. And, therefore, there was strong opposition to such games among high-ranked politicians. And, of course, non-nuclear Iran was risking non-nuclear bombing campaign and nuclear Iran would risking nuclear exchange.
So, yes, significant part of Iranians thought that it's more safe to don't have nukes, than have them. Now, many of them have changed their mind, but even now, decision of withdrawing from Non Prolifiration Treaty is not made yet.
It's not about loving and kind. It's about deterrence. America can deter nuclear Russia and America would be able to deter nuclear Iran even easier.