Iran has issued a warning that it may develop nuclear weapons if the United States or Israel attempts to attack it under the guise of concerns over its nuclear program.
This statement was made by Ali Larijani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in response to remarks made by US President Donald Trump and Israeli officials.
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Larijani emphasized that a religious decree from Khamenei forbids Iran from developing nuclear weapons. However, he added that if the US makes any mistakes, Iran might be forced to pursue nuclear weapons due to pressure from its people.
The advisor further warned that any military action against Iran would have severe consequences, stating that bombing would not be effective in destroying Iran’s nuclear program.
He also mentioned that any potential indirect talks with the US would aim at understanding each other’s positions and finding mutual agreements on the nuclear issue.
This followed Trump’s threats of “unprecedented military strikes” on Iran if negotiations over its nuclear program were not agreed upon. Trump claimed that US and Iranian officials were already in talks.
The comments came after Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders in early March, through the United Arab Emirates, proposing direct negotiations over the nuclear issue. In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Tehran had rejected direct talks but remained open to the possibility of indirect negotiations.