Pakistan will 'nuke' Israel if attacked, says Iran; Islamabad denies

Pakistan will 'nuke' Israel if attacked, says Iran; Islamabad denies

Iran has claimed that Pakistan would retaliate with a nuclear strike on Israel if the latter uses nuclear weapons against Tehran.

The assertion was made by General Mohsen Rezaei, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander and member of Iran's National Security Council, during an interview on Iranian state television.

However, Pakistan swiftly denied this claim, with its Defense Minister Khawaja Asif saying Islamabad had made no such commitment.

Pakistan has hidden capabilities, says Rezaei

Rezaei had said, "Pakistan has assured us that if Israel uses a nuclear bomb on Iran, they will attack Israel with a nuclear bomb."

He also claimed that Pakistan has vowed to "stand behind Iran."

Rezaei also added that Tehran possesses hidden capabilities that have yet to be revealed to the world.

According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Israel and Pakistan are two of the nine countries that currently have nuclear weapons.

Asif's address to National Assembly

On June 14, Asif addressed the National Assembly, urging Muslim nations to unite against Israel or risk facing the same fate as Iran and Palestine.

He said, "Israel has targeted Iran, Yemen, and Palestine. If Muslim nations don't unite now, each will face the same fate."

He also called on Muslim countries with diplomatic ties to Israel to cut off relations and asked the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold a meeting for a joint strategy against Israel.

Israel and Iran's nuclear policies

Israel maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying the possession of nuclear weapons. It is widely believed to have developed a nuclear arsenal focused on deterrence and counter-proliferation.

Meanwhile, Iran insists its nuclear program is for purposes like energy production and medical research.

Tehran is also a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Western powers and the International Atomic Energy Agency have raised concerns over Iran's uranium enrichment levels and lack of transparency in past nuclear activities.