Iran will have 'no choice' but to acquire nukes if attacked, Khamenei adviser warns

Iran protested to the United Nations Security Council on Monday against "reckless and aggressive" comments made by US President Donald Trump, who warned Iran on Sunday that it would face bombing and additional tariffs if Tehran failed to reach a deal with Washington over its nuclear program. A senior advisor to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that Iran would need to get a nuclear weapon if it was attacked by the United States or its allies.

Threats and retaliation

In reaction to Trump's threat, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened that Iran would be compelled to seek a nuclear weapon if it was attacked by the US or its allies. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself pledged to respond with force if Trump carried out his threat.

Indirect negotiations

Despite the tensions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Iran would accept indirect negotiations with the US. This comes after Trump's letter to Khamenei inviting him to negotiate over nuclear issues and threatening to go for a military operation if Tehran declines.

Escalating tensions

The US has once more applied its "maximum pressure" to Iran, heightening tensions between the two nations. Western powers have long complained that Iran is on the path to acquiring a nuclear weapon, something Tehran denies repeatedly.