Iran has issued a nuclear bomb warning to Israel amid the escalating tensions between the two nations.
Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly hinted at a shift in Iran's nuclear doctrine if the nation’s existence is perceived to be under threat by Israel.
"We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb, but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine," Kharrazi was quoted by AFP as saying.
Tensions between Iran and Israel reached a threshold when the former launched a barrage of explosive drones and missiles directly targeting the later. Iran’s response came following bombing of its embassy in Syria's capital Damascus in April this year.
The development comes against Khamenei's previous decree against nuclear weapons development by Iran.
"In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime (Israel), our deterrence will change," Kharrazi was quoted as saying.
There have been efforts by Iran to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which is said to have yielded mixed results, while tangible progress remains elusive.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA, expressed frustration over Iran's alleged lack of cooperation, highlighting the urgency for concrete measures to address outstanding concerns regarding Iran's nuclear activities.
Last year, Iran made commitments to assist in investigating uranium particles found at undeclared sites and reinstall monitoring equipment. However, the IAEA reports indicate that these assurances have not resulted in significant advancements.
"The present state is completely unsatisfactory for me. We are almost at an impasse and this needs to be changed," Grossi was quoted as saying.
Both the sides--Iran and IAEA have acknowledged the 2023 agreement as a potential framework for cooperation, however implementation has been slow.
Besides, Iran has raised concerns about external interference, particularly from Israel, which it views as an enemy state.
