Iranian leader warns of mass expansion of Iran’s nuclear program if struck by US or Israel

In response to recent threats from the US and Israel, Iran has vowed to ramp up its nuclear program if its facilities are attacked.

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian made the statement during a visit to Bushehr province, emphasizing that any assault on Iran's nuclear centres will be met with a drastic increase in the number of such facilities, Caliber.Az reports referring to international media sources.

“They (the US and Israel) threaten to strike our nuclear centres. They can hit the buildings, but they can't hit the 'brains' who build them. Let them hit a hundred centres, thousands of them will be built again,” Pezeshkian declared. 

This response follows a report by The Wall Street Journal, which cited US intelligence sources revealing that Israel is preparing for a significant military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, possibly with support from Washington.

The intelligence suggests Israel views the Trump administration as more likely to back such a military strike than the Biden administration. The threat of a potential Israeli attack stems from concerns about Iran's advancing nuclear capabilities, with Israeli officials fearing that time is running out to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

US military officials informed WSJ that any Israeli operation would likely require American assistance, especially for striking Iran's heavily fortified nuclear sites. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, signed an executive order reestablishing his "maximum pressure" strategy on Iran.

However, Trump distanced himself from rumours of an imminent military strike, stating that he preferred a diplomatic solution over military action, though he acknowledged the possibility of a US-Iran conflict before his inauguration.

The tensions have escalated following Iran's missile strike on October 1, 2024, in retaliation for Israeli attacks that killed key figures from Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel reportedly considered a military response to Iran’s nuclear facilities soon after.

By Tamilla Hasanova