Iran’s foreign ministry on Thursday condemned Israeli threats of military action as “outrageous and irrational” after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar suggested that a military strike might be necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Israeli FM Warns of Military Action
In an interview with Politico, Saar claimed that Iran had enriched enough uranium to build “a couple of bombs” and warned that time was running out.
“A reliable military option should be on the table to prevent Iran from weaponizing its nuclear program,” Saar stated in the report published on Wednesday.
Iran responded sharply, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemning the remarks.
“The Israeli regime’s FM and other officials keep threatening Iran with military action while the West continues to blame Iran for its defense capabilities,” Baqaei wrote in a post on X.
Rising Tensions in the Region
Baqaei defended Iran’s stance, stating that in a region “scourged by an occupying entity”, referring to Israel, it is “responsible and essential” for Iran to enhance its defense capabilities.
Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated that Israel would “finish the job” against Iran with US support.
Long-Standing Hostilities Continue
Iran and Israel have been arch-rivals for decades, with Iran refusing to recognize Israel’s existence. Both nations engaged in direct attacks last year, escalating tensions amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
US President Donald Trump, who returned to office for a second term in January, has reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy of sanctions on Iran, echoing his first-term approach.
Under this policy, the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, accusing Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons—a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Iran’s Nuclear Program Under Scrutiny
A confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report seen by AFP on Wednesday revealed that Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in recent months. However, Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.
While Trump has recently suggested negotiating a new deal with Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the idea, stating that “no problem will be solved by negotiating with America.”
