Iran warns any attack on its nuclear facilities will lead to regional war

Israel has repeatedly threatened to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with US support, while successive US administrations have expressed desires of regime change in the country

February 03, 2025 by Abdul Rahman
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Photo: IRNA

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any attempt by Israel or the US to target his country’s nuclear facilities would lead to a swift military response, causing a regional war which no world power would like.

Araghchi’s response to US and Israeli threats

Any attempt to harm Iran would cause “an irreversible catastrophe” Aragchi warned, while speaking to Al-Jazeera Arabic in an interview which was broadcasted on Friday, January 31.

Araghchi was responding to repeated Israeli threats made over the last few months about targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. These threats may present an increased risk in the context of the presidency of Donald Trump.

During his campaign in October, Donald Trump endorsed Israel’s declaration to target Iran’s nuclear facilities following Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israel in its Operation True Promise I and II last year. Iran was responding to Israel’s targeting of Iranian officials as well as Israel’s airstrike on Iran’s consulate building in Damascus, Syria. Israel also carried out the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was a state guest in Iran.

Trump, during his first term as president, followed the Israeli position on Iran’s nuclear program and unilaterally withdrew from the multilateral Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May, 2018, imposing unilateral sanctions.

Iran prepares for possible US-Israeli aggression

These threats and actions have forced Iran to prepare for a potential assault and attempt at “regime change” by the US and Israel, similar to what happened in Syria. Both Israel and the US see Iran as a threat and a major obstacle to their regional ambitions. They have talked about regime change and strategies to weaken the Islamic Republic as necessary steps to achieve their goals.

Despite the aggressive rhetoric, Trump, after assuming office in January, hinted that he would prefer a diplomatic approach to Iran’s nuclear program.

Araghchi, however, pointed to the deep trust deficit between the two countries based on US actions.

He cited the US’s repeated attempts to undermine peace in the region. The US, apart from unilaterally withdrawing from the JCPOA, carried out the assassination of a senior commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s Corp (IRGC) Qassem Soleimani in January 2020. The Joe Biden administration, despite promising to restore JCPOA, continued Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign, imposing more sanctions on Iran.

Nevertheless, Araghchi expressed optimism that the US would most likely not “make a major miscalculation” by supporting any Israeli adventure of attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Araghchi called such an attempt a “futile one” anyway, claiming no such strike can destroy Iran’s nuclear program permanently, as the know-how of the technology is “in the minds and knowledge of our scientists.”

Iran is for peace and nuclear disarmament

Araghchi once again reiterated Iran’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and peace in the region, emphasizing that his country would never seek to acquire nuclear weapons, despite having the technical capacity to do so, as it is religiously prohibited.

The minister once again reiterated Iran’s intention for peace and stability in the region and its willingness to negotiate, but lamented it has been repeatedly targeted by the US and Israel. While the primary focus for the US has been its nuclear program, Iran’s support for regional resistance forces has also made it a target.

Iran’s support for the Axis of Resistance

Iran is a major backer of the Axis of Resistance forces which have been challenging Israel’s occupation of Palestine and other territories directly. The resistance axis forces consist of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, Ansar Allah in Yemen. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is also part of the Axis and has posed a serious challenge to illegal US military presence in the region.

Iran has repeatedly supported the Axis’ call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the region claiming in past that it is necessary for regional security and an essential measure for building trust and cooperation among the countries in the region.

Araghchi stated that Iran is always willing to negotiate, provided there is trust between the parties. He proposed that the Trump administration remove sanctions and unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets that have been frozen for years, as confidence-building measures to enable Iran to consider resuming talks.

In an earlier interview with Sky News, he had called Trump’s call for negotiations mere “nice words” claiming it won’t be enough. “Rebuilding trust is not easy. The US needs to take real, positive actions, and they know exactly what those actions are,” Araghchi said on Friday.

Araghchi also responded to repeated speculations about the weakening of the resistance forces following the war in Gaza, the fall of Bashar al-Assad government in Syria, and the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

He stated, “the resistance is not disappearing, nor is it weakening…if anything, these events have been valuable experiences, and I am certain they will prove useful in the future,” Tehran Times reported.