An adviser to Iran's supreme leader warned on Monday that the country may seek nuclear weapons if attacked by the United States or its allies. This statement came after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if it did not agree to a nuclear deal.
Ali Larijani, an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Iranian state TV that while Iran was not pursuing nuclear weapons, an attack would leave it with no choice but to defend itself, news agency AFP reported. He said, "We are not moving towards (nuclear) weapons, but if you do something wrong in the Iranian nuclear issue, you will force Iran to move towards that because it has to defend itself." "Iran does not want to do this, but ... (it) will have no choice," Larijani further said.
He added that Iran would have to reconsider its stance if the US or Israel launched an attack. "If at some point you (the US) move towards bombing by yourself or through Israel, you will force Iran to make a different decision."
On Saturday, Trump warned, "there will be bombing" if Iran did not agree to a deal, according to NBC News. It was unclear whether he meant a direct US attack or an operation involving another country, such as Israel.
Ayatollah Khamenei also responded to Trump's threat in a speech, sayung, "They threaten to do mischief. If it is carried out, they will definitely receive a strong counterattack." Iran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, also sent a letter to the UN Security Council condemning what he described as "warmongering provocations." He warned that Iran would "respond swiftly and decisively to any act of aggression or attack by the United States or its proxy, the Israeli regime."
Following Trump's comments, Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, who represents US interests in Iran.
General Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, pointed to the presence of American bases and troops in the region. He cautioned, "The Americans have at least 10 bases in the region around Iran, and they have 50,000 troops." He added, "Someone who is in a glass room shouldn't throw stones at anyone."
Since taking office in January, Trump has returned to his "maximum pressure" policy. In his first term, he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear agreement, which had required Iran to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Western countries, including the US, have long accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, though Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
The 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers required Iran to limit its nuclear processing in exchange for sanctions relief.
Why is Iran's nuclear program a concern for the West?
Iran has long stated that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, its officials have increasingly hinted at the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60% purity, a level close to weapons-grade, making it the only country without a declared nuclear weapons program to do so.
Under the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran was restricted to enriching uranium up to 3.67 per cent purity and maintaining a stockpile of no more than 300 kilograms (661 pounds). However, the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that Iran’s uranium stockpile had reached 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), with a portion of it enriched to 60 per cent.
While US intelligence agencies believe Iran has not yet started developing nuclear weapons, they acknowledge that Iran has taken steps that could allow it to build a nuclear device if it decides to proceed.
Why are relations between Iran and the US hostile?
Iran was once a close ally of the US in the Middle East under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who purchased American weapons and allowed the CIA to operate secret listening posts to monitor the Soviet Union. The shah’s rule had been strengthened by a 1953 CIA-backed coup.
However, in January 1979, as protests against the shah's rule intensified and he battled cancer, he left Iran. This led to the Islamic Revolution, headed by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which established Iran’s theocratic government.
Later that year, university students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, demanding the extradition of the shah. This triggered the 444-day hostage crisis and led to the severing of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the US supported Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein. The conflict also included the "Tanker War," in which the US launched a military assault that weakened Iran’s naval forces. Later, a US warship shot down an Iranian passenger plane.
Over the years, relations between the two countries have fluctuated between hostility and limited diplomacy. Tensions briefly eased when Iran agreed to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. However, after Trump withdrew the US from the agreement, tensions escalated again and continue to this day.
Ali Larijani, an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Iranian state TV that while Iran was not pursuing nuclear weapons, an attack would leave it with no choice but to defend itself, news agency AFP reported. He said, "We are not moving towards (nuclear) weapons, but if you do something wrong in the Iranian nuclear issue, you will force Iran to move towards that because it has to defend itself." "Iran does not want to do this, but ... (it) will have no choice," Larijani further said.
He added that Iran would have to reconsider its stance if the US or Israel launched an attack. "If at some point you (the US) move towards bombing by yourself or through Israel, you will force Iran to make a different decision."
On Saturday, Trump warned, "there will be bombing" if Iran did not agree to a deal, according to NBC News. It was unclear whether he meant a direct US attack or an operation involving another country, such as Israel.
Ayatollah Khamenei also responded to Trump's threat in a speech, sayung, "They threaten to do mischief. If it is carried out, they will definitely receive a strong counterattack." Iran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, also sent a letter to the UN Security Council condemning what he described as "warmongering provocations." He warned that Iran would "respond swiftly and decisively to any act of aggression or attack by the United States or its proxy, the Israeli regime."
Following Trump's comments, Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, who represents US interests in Iran.
General Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, pointed to the presence of American bases and troops in the region. He cautioned, "The Americans have at least 10 bases in the region around Iran, and they have 50,000 troops." He added, "Someone who is in a glass room shouldn't throw stones at anyone."
Since taking office in January, Trump has returned to his "maximum pressure" policy. In his first term, he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear agreement, which had required Iran to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Western countries, including the US, have long accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, though Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
The 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers required Iran to limit its nuclear processing in exchange for sanctions relief.
Why is Iran's nuclear program a concern for the West?
Iran has long stated that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, its officials have increasingly hinted at the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60% purity, a level close to weapons-grade, making it the only country without a declared nuclear weapons program to do so.
Under the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran was restricted to enriching uranium up to 3.67 per cent purity and maintaining a stockpile of no more than 300 kilograms (661 pounds). However, the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that Iran’s uranium stockpile had reached 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), with a portion of it enriched to 60 per cent.
While US intelligence agencies believe Iran has not yet started developing nuclear weapons, they acknowledge that Iran has taken steps that could allow it to build a nuclear device if it decides to proceed.
Why are relations between Iran and the US hostile?
Iran was once a close ally of the US in the Middle East under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who purchased American weapons and allowed the CIA to operate secret listening posts to monitor the Soviet Union. The shah’s rule had been strengthened by a 1953 CIA-backed coup.
However, in January 1979, as protests against the shah's rule intensified and he battled cancer, he left Iran. This led to the Islamic Revolution, headed by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which established Iran’s theocratic government.
Later that year, university students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, demanding the extradition of the shah. This triggered the 444-day hostage crisis and led to the severing of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, the US supported Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein. The conflict also included the "Tanker War," in which the US launched a military assault that weakened Iran’s naval forces. Later, a US warship shot down an Iranian passenger plane.
Over the years, relations between the two countries have fluctuated between hostility and limited diplomacy. Tensions briefly eased when Iran agreed to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. However, after Trump withdrew the US from the agreement, tensions escalated again and continue to this day.
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