Tehran, May 9 (IANS): Iran has said that it would definitely respond to any act of aggression with "decisive and regret-inducing" measures, after a senior US official said last week that Washington will recognise Israel's right for "freedom of action" if Tehran tries to obtain nuclear weapons.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani made the remarks at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday when he was asked to respond to the comments made by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Kanaani said Sullivan's comments are yet another proof that the US accepts responsibility for Israel's "destructive" actions directly and indirectly.
He urged the US to be wary of the legal ramifications of such statements, adding Iran's nuclear activities are "peaceful" and the country is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and committed to the safeguards agreements.
Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the sanctions on the country.
The US, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its sanctions on Tehran.
The talks on the JCPOA's revival began in April 2021 in Vienna. No breakthrough has been achieved after the latest round of talks in August 2022.