TEHRAN – In a provocative interview with Politico on Wednesday, Israeli government foreign minister Gidon Sar accused Iran of moving its nuclear program to a “dangerous” threshold, suggesting that “military action” is necessary.
Sa’ar claimed that Iran is enriching enough uranium for “some bombs” and is actively “playing in the way” to develop nuclear weapons.
“So we don’t have much time,” he said. He said before arguing that diplomatic efforts are unlikely to succeed and that the chances of a peaceful solution are “not very large.”
He emphasized the importance of a “reliable military choice” to curb suspicions of Iran’s ambitions, and warned that “Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey and the Middle East (West Asia) nuclear race” could ignite the fire.
Sa’ar also accused Iran of being smuggled into the Jordan River through Jordan, making the area “destabilizing.”
His remarks appear to “finish the work” to thwart Iran’s nuclear pursuit with the aid of US President Donald Trump, consistent with the “declared promises” of his convicted war detective boss Benjamin Netanyahu.
Shortly after his second appointment, Trump signed the National Security President’s Memorandum (NSPM).
NSPM has revived its “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran and has developed plans to further span the country’s economy.
Although there were no explicit orders, the directive is expected to promote more sanctions on the shipping, insurance and port sector. The US may also try to cut Iran’s oil revenues by threatening its customers.
In an interview after signing the order, Trump claimed that he would publicly declare his preference for negotiations with Iran, rather than bombing hell.
His chief security advisor, Mike Waltz, has recently repeated the old, worn-out American mantra, “all options are on the table,” claiming that Washington will not completely dismantle Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Iranian officials repeatedly denounced the statements of Israeli officials as baseless inflammatory, pointing them to them as tactics to distract attention from the regional regime’s own destabilizing behavior.
Foreign Minister Abbas Aragci spoke at the UN Disarmament Conference in Geneva, shining the spotlight on Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons and criticising his denial of the international disarmament agreement.
Araghchi pointed out that Israel’s refusal to treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (Iran remains a signatory and is caught up in its aggressive policies constitutes a real threat to peace.
He repeated Iran’s long-standing calls from Tehran for a nuclear-weaponless zone in West Asia that Tehran first proposed in 1974.
Similarly, Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Sayed Irabani, dismissed the baseless accusations of the Israeli regime in a formal letter to the Secretary-General and the President of Parliament at a special meeting of the UN General Assembly.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran expressly and firmly rejects such unfounded claims, which serves no purpose other than to distract the international community from the horrifying crimes committed by this apartheid regime against the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip,” Irabani wrote.
“The region’s immeasurable inferno” Tehran’s non-secondary stance
Iran has consistently reiterated that it has not sought a conflict, but it remains indomitable to defending itself against attacks. This is the stance that clearly emphasizes Tehran’s commitment to maintaining its sovereignty.
Major General Gholamali Rashid, commander of Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, highlighted the decision during the military exercises at Zolfaghar 1403, saying, “A threat to Iran’s national interests will enable Israel to fully support.
He added that aggression causes conflicts with its origins and support bases.
General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iranian forces, recently reinforced the message, saying, “If Iran’s security is threatened, the security, perpetrators of anxiety, and their supporters across the Southwest Asia region will be suspended and will not see peace.”
Bagheri highlighted Iran’s military preparations, noting that the military is ready for peaks and that missile production continues “with very large volumes and quality without interruption.”
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC Aerospace Division, issued a harsh warning against attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying, “The fires that will be fires in this region will be of unquantitative scale and scope.”
Cutting-edge military preparation
Iran’s defensive preparation has been vividly demonstrated over the last few months through a series of military exercises.
The military recently concluded a Zolfaghar 1403 military operation. This is a drastic demonstration of the country’s air defense capabilities and the refinement of ballistic missiles.
The drill, carried out across the strategic zone spanning southern Iran, the Oman Sea and the North Indian Ocean, highlighted the seamless coordination between the Iranian army (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
These collaborations highlighted Tehran’s ability to test next-generation weapons, smart precision guided ammunition, and cutting-edge cyber-electronic warfare systems to neutralize multi-faceted threats.
Vice-General Habibora Sayari, a key architect in Army practice, confirmed his goal of “enhancing Iran’s deterrence and strengthening defensive resilience to challenges to aviation, maritime and earthly challenges.”
Complementing these efforts, Iran’s ballistic missile program continues to achieve milestones.
The country’s ballistic missile program features a variety of powerful systems. The Shahab-3 and Sejjil missiles will strengthen Iran’s strategic reach, ranging up to 2,000 km.
Polar Fatta missiles that can be manipulated while flying beyond the Mach 5 challenge existing missile defenses.
The Fateh series, including the Fateh-10 and Fateh-313, boasts accuracy and agility in short-range engagement. Additionally, the Souma and Hoveyzeh cruise missiles can avoid radar detection.
Focusing on indigenous production, Iran is advancing missile technology despite sanctions.
These capabilities are based on Iran’s proven operational success, including Operations Trumis I and II (2024), which provided accurate retaliatory strikes against the Israeli regime’s military targets, based on Iran’s proven operational success.
In January, further strengthening its preparations, the Great Prophet 19 War Game mobilized 110,000 Basij volunteer troops with a massive, rapid deployment drill across challenging terrain.
In parallel with its aggressive military stance, Iran deployed an enhanced Air Force defense system to enhance the security situation of critical nuclear facilities and stop potential attacks, and tested domestically built air defense systems such as Bavar-373, Mersad, 15-Khordad, Majid and Monir.
These advanced systems are designed to combat a wide range of aviation threats, including stealth aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles.
Together, these systems create a robust, multi-layered defensive strategy, ensuring comprehensive protection against Iran’s critical infrastructure.