Iranian lawmaker says Tehran would respond in kind if US used nuclear weapon

An Iranian lawmaker said Tehran would respond in kind if the US used a nuclear weapon against Iran, commenting on a media report about the possibility of such an attack, according to local media on Wednesday.

Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, made the remarks in an interview with Iranian news outlet Khabar Online.

Asked how likely he considered a US nuclear attack on Iran, Maleki said: “I do not rule out an ill-considered action by (US President Donald) Trump, but I do not think he would dare to do such a thing, because such an action could plunge the world into a dangerous war.”

“If such an action is taken, the Islamic Republic of Iran will also respond, and its reaction will be proportionate to the type of weapon used against Iran,” he added.

Pressed on whether this meant Iran would use a nuclear weapon if the US attacked Iran with one, Maleki replied: “Whatever the US uses, Iran will respond to it.”

Maleki did not explicitly say that Iran possesses nuclear weapons.

The lawmaker also warned Washington against further military action, saying Iran has “multiple options” at its disposal and that any US move could draw a response “at the same level or even beyond.”

“Many of Iran’s weapons and military capabilities have not yet been unveiled,” Maleki said, arguing that Tehran has moved from a defensive posture to what he described as “active and offensive deterrence.”

Turning to stalled Tehran-Washington talks, Maleki accused Trump of failing to honor commitments under the memorandum of understanding between the two sides.

He said Iran would not return to negotiations unless Washington abides by its previous commitments, adding that issues including the Strait of Hormuz would remain unresolved otherwise.

Maleki said Iran’s talks with Oman are a separate bilateral track, adding that Tehran rejected US participation in those discussions.

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June under Pakistani mediation aimed at ending their war and paving the way for negotiations on a final agreement.

Talks have since stalled amid disputes over the implementation of the memorandum, including issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest tensions follow months of hostilities since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate against US and Israeli targets and US assets across the region.