Iran Leader advisor warns Tehran may pursue nuclear weapons if attacked by US or Israel

Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Leader and former chief nuclear negotiator, warned that Iran could be forced to develop nuclear weapons if the US or Israel launches military strikes against the country.

Speaking in an interview on Monday night with state television, Larijani stated that while Iran adheres to the Leader’s religious decree against nuclear arms – officially registered with the UN – external aggression could create a “secondary justification” for pursuing such weapons.

“If the US makes a strategic mistake, Iran will have no choice but to move toward nuclear arms for self-defense,” he said.

Larijani said the US and Israel are escalating tensions, citing American President Donald Trump’s contradictory rhetoric on peace and war.

He emphasized that Iran prefers diplomacy but warned that decades of US hostility, including support for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq 1980s war, have hardened its stance.

On regional conflicts, Larijani defended Iran’s role in Syria as a counterterrorism effort and criticized Israel for destabilizing West Asia.

He also dismissed US reliability, referencing Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran 2015 nuclear deal, JCPOA, and asserted that Iran’s Islamic Revolution would endure despite economic hardships.

Regarding Yemen, he cautioned the US against intervention, praising Yemeni resistance and warning of heavy consequences.

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