Iran hints at nuclear action as US tensions escalate
The IRGC has reportedly gained control following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, with hardliners advocating for a shift in Iran’s nuclear policy. State media says troops are prepared to face US forces if necessary. This marks a significant shift from Tehran’s long-standing public stance against nuclear weapons, though the country has maintained the technical ability to develop a bomb if desired.
An article from IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency this week suggested Iran should leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while maintaining a civilian nuclear program. Hardline politician Mohammad Javad Larijani stated, “The NPT should be suspended. We should form a committee to assess whether the NPT is of any use to us at all. If it proves useful, we will return to it. If not, they can keep it.”
The warning comes amid weeks of military exchanges, stalled diplomacy, and heightened concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Young Iranians are reportedly flocking to recruitment centers, bolstering the Basij, IRGC, and Army with volunteers ready to fight. Tasnim quoted a military source saying these forces are organized and prepared, with public enthusiasm described as a drive to create a “historic hell” for US troops.
The US has ramped up military pressure, with elite 82nd Airborne Division troops expected to arrive in the Middle East alongside thousands of Marines already deployed. The Trump administration has also threatened a full-scale invasion should diplomacy fail, while Iran publicly rejects ceasefire proposals, demanding reparations, a halt to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, and the closure of US sites in the Gulf.
