Israel will receive a “devastating and decisive response” if it attacks Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday as Tehran vowed to defend its nuclear sites, days after two separate reports suggested Israel was making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
“They are trying to frighten us with war but are miscalculating, as they are unaware of the powerful popular and military support the Islamic Republic can muster in war conditions,” IRGC spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said, according to state media.
Tehran and Washington will hold a fifth round of nuclear talks on Friday in Rome amid strong disagreement between the sides over uranium enrichment.
Iran denies any intent to develop nuclear weapons, although it currently enriches uranium to 60 percent purity, a level far higher than is necessary for any civilian use.
The IRGC warning came after CNN reported earlier this week that new intelligence obtained by the US pointed toward Israel making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
Less than a day later, Axios, citing two Israeli sources, reported that Israel was preparing to move fast and strike Iran in the event that its talks with the US fail.
Such an operation would not be a one-off event, Axios said, but would require a weeklong campaign.
In light of the reports, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Thursday that his country would take “special measures in defense of our nuclear facilities” should Israel continue to threaten them.
The comments offered no specifics on what Tehran would do, but already, international inspectors have seen their access limited to Iran’s program.
“I have called on the international community to take effective preventive measures against the continuation of Israeli threats, which, if unchecked, will compel Iran to take special measures in defense of our nuclear facilities and materials,” Araghchi wrote on X after apparently sending letters to United Nations officials.
He warned that Iran would “decisively respond” to “any adventurism by the Zionist regime.”
“The nature, content, and extent of our actions will correspond and be proportionate to preventive measures taken by these international bodies in accordance with their statutory duties and obligations,” he said.
In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Araghchi also warned that Iran would view Washington as a “participant” in any Israeli attack on its nuclear sites.
Iran previously launched two direct missile attacks on Israel, in April and October of 2024, both of which were almost entirely stopped by air defense systems in cooperation with the US and its military allies in the region. Israel twice bombed Iran in retaliation.
It was not clear whether Israeli leaders had made a final decision on military action, and there was disagreement within the US government about whether the Israelis would ultimately decide to attack, CNN said earlier this week, citing intelligence officials.
At any rate, a strike is highly unlikely to take place while Washington is attempting to negotiate a deal with Tehran.
But a collapse of US-Iran negotiations or a new nuclear deal that does not alleviate Israeli concerns about Iran developing nuclear weapons could motivate Israeli strikes against its regional archrival, diplomats said.
On Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said US demands that Tehran stop enriching uranium were “excessive and outrageous,” state media reported, voicing doubts over whether talks on a new nuclear deal will succeed.