Iran has cautioned Israel and the United States that any attack on its nuclear facilities would be “crazy” and could trigger a “very bad disaster” for the region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the statement in an interview with Sky News, marking his first public comments since Donald Trump began his second term as US president.
Araghchi dismissed the likelihood of such an attack.
He said: “We have made it clear that any attack on our nuclear facilities would be faced with an immediate and decisive response. But I don’t think they will do that crazy thing.
“This is really crazy. And this would turn the whole region into a very bad disaster.”
The foreign minister’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Under the deal, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
Since the US exit from the agreement, Iran has resumed enriching uranium to levels Western governments claim could be used for nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies, maintaining its program is solely for civilian purposes.
President Trump has suggested a preference for diplomacy, calling the prospect of a new nuclear deal with Iran “nice.”
However, Araghchi expressed scepticism about the sincerity of such overtures. “Lots of things should be done by the other side to buy our confidence,” he said. “We haven’t heard anything but the ‘nice’ word, and this is obviously not enough.”
Araghchi also criticized Trump’s recent comments about resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The president’s suggestion to “clean out” Gaza of Palestinians has drawn sharp condemnation across the Middle East.
Mocking the idea, Araghchi countered with his own proposal: “Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland so they can kill two birds with one stone.”
The foreign minister acknowledged that Iran’s regional allies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have faced setbacks but insisted their resilience remains intact.
“They are rebuilding themselves because this is a school of thought, this is an idea, this is a cause, this is an ideal that will always be there,” he said.
On the streets of Tehran, citizens voiced hope that a renewed deal with the West could alleviate the country’s dire economic conditions.
Iran faces soaring inflation, estimated at 50%, and crippling unemployment, particularly among the youth. The national currency is at aN historic low, and trust between Tehran and Washington is at an all-time low, presenting significant obstacles to any potential agreement.