Iran says attack on its nuclear sites would be ‘a historic mistake’

Iran would retaliate if its nuclear facilities were targeted, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, warning that such an attack would lead to a war in the region.

In an interview aired on Al Jazeera, Araghchi called military action against Iran’s nuclear sites “one of the greatest historical mistakes the US could make.”

His comments follow growing concerns in Tehran that a second Trump administration could green light an Israeli attack on Iran.

On January 23, Donald Trump said that he hoped a deal over Iran's nuclear program would make it so that the United States did not have to support an Israeli attack on Iran.

Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he would support Israel striking Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump said: "Obviously, I'm not going to answer that question."

"It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step ... Iran hopefully will make a deal, and if they don't make a deal, I guess that's okay too."

In his interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi suggested that unfreezing Iranian assets could serve as a confidence-building measure facilitating a deal between the two sides.

“The US has frozen Iran’s assets in various locations and has not fulfilled its commitments to release them. This move could be the first step toward establishing trust between us,” he said.

Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, reinstating sanctions as part of his maximum pressure strategy. Iran responded by expanding its nuclear activities beyond the agreement’s limits.

During his campaign, Trump has indicated he would restore his previous policies, aiming to secure a broader deal that includes Iran’s missile program and regional influence.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister said on Thursday that Israel is closely monitoring Iran’s actions.

Omer Dostri said Benjamin Netanyahu believes the aggressive policy Trump pursued in his previous administration should be reinstated.

“War is one way to achieve our objectives… Even if Iran claims to comply, we must remain skeptical – it could be a deception. Trump’s previous policy of ‘maximum pressure’ worked, and Israel expects to collaborate with him to restore it,” he told the Jerusalem Post.

“If a deal is possible, he will try to make a deal. But in the end, there’s a limit to how much diplomacy can achieve. We’ll give it a chance, but the clock is ticking. If necessary, we will act – with or without American approval.”