Iran announces for the first time that it may be forced to produce nuclear weapons

The advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Larijani, warned that Iran may be forced to change its nuclear policy if attacked by the United States.

During a television interview with Iranian media, Larijani said, “The Supreme Leader’s fatwa prohibits nuclear weapons, but the political decision could change if America makes a strategic mistake”.

He noted that “any American aggression could push the country toward developing nuclear weapons under popular pressure”.

He added that “the American leadership realizes that any attack on Iran will only accelerate its pursuit of a nuclear weapon,” stressing that military strikes won’t significantly impact the progress of the Iranian nuclear program, saying, “Even if the United States bombs our facilities, it won’t be able to delay our nuclear development for more than a year or two… We’ve taken the necessary measures”.

Amid the growing escalation, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss ambassador to Tehran on Monday, as the representative of US interests, and handed him an official protest note warning against any hostile actions and stressing that Iran will respond decisively and immediately to any threat to it.

For his part, US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric, threatening to impose additional economic sanctions and carry out military strikes if Iran didn’t agree to a new agreement on its nuclear program.

Trump said, “If Iran doesn’t reach an agreement, they will be bombed like never before”.

In contrast, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed that his country will not conduct direct negotiations with the United States on the nuclear issue, indicating that any talks will only take place through international mediators.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Tehran had officially responded to a letter sent by Trump regarding the nuclear program, stressing that “Iran hasn’t backed down from negotiations, but Washington must correct its previous violations to build trust and resume the diplomatic process”.

Earlier in March, media sources revealed that Trump sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stressing his preference for a new agreement and setting a two-month deadline for completing the deal.

This escalation comes amid growing tensions between Tehran and Washington, with Revolutionary Guard commanders warning that any US attack would be met with a harsh response, noting that the US has 10 military bases and 50,000 troops around Iran, all of which are potential targets in the event of a confrontation.