Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned recent Israeli threats, labeling them as "outrageous" after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar suggested that a "military option" might be necessary to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear program.
In an interview with Politico, Sa’ar warned that Iran had enriched enough uranium to produce "a couple of bombs" and that time was running out.
"I think that in order to stop a nuclear Iranian program before it will be weaponised, a reliable military option should be on the table," he stated in the interview, which was published on Wednesday.
Responding to Sa’ar's comments, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei dismissed them as "outrageous and irrational."
"The Israeli regime's FM and other officials keep threatening Iran with military action while the West continues to blame Iran for its defense capability," Baqaei wrote in a post on X, as quoted by AFP.
He added that in a "region scourged by an occupying entity," referring to Israel, "it is only responsible and essential to maximise our defence capabilities."
Iran, which does not recognize Israel, has remained in a state of hostility with the Jewish state for decades. Last year, the two countries engaged in direct attacks for the first time amid escalating regional tensions following the Gaza war.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term in January, has reinstated his "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign against Iran, mirroring his approach from his first administration.
Even with the sanctions, Trump has also said he would rather reach a deal with Iran than have Israel attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Despite Trump’s comments on his desire to pursue a deal with Iran, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has cautioned the government against engaging in talks with Washington, describing such a move as “reckless.”
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi ruled out the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
"There will be no possibility of direct talks between us and the United States on the nuclear issue as long as the maximum pressure is applied in this way," Araqchi stated during a joint press conference alongside visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Regarding the nuclear negotiations, the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very clear. We will not negotiate under pressure, threat or sanctions," he added.