Israeli officials’ threats to use nuclear weapons will change the security equation in West Asia as it will prompt others to revise their nuclear doctrine, says secretary of Iran’s Strategic Council of Foreign Relations.

At a seminar hosted by Al Jazeera Forum on Sunday, Secretary General of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations in Iran Abbas Araghchi warned that Israeli threats to use nuclear weapons could escalate tensions in West Asia.

The official mentioned US Senator Lindsey Graham's recent endorsement of "Israel's" use of nuclear bombs on Gaza.

Araghchi noted that while "Israel" maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding its nuclear arsenal, recent events, particularly the genocide in Gaza, have compelled Israeli officials to reconsider this stance. He warned that hawkish Israeli figures might escalate from rhetoric to actual use of nuclear weapons.

Calling for a nuclear-free West Asia, Araghchi insisted on the disarmament of the Israeli regime. The official asserted Iran's rejection of the so-called two-state solution, deeming it a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. Instead, Iran proposes a unified state formed through a referendum involving all indigenous residents, including Muslims, Jews, and Christians.

Araghchi also stressed the importance of acknowledging and respecting the deterrent capabilities of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah amidst anticipated regional changes.

Read more: Hezbollah Falaq, Burkan rockets pummel high value Israeli targets

Genocidal remarks

Earlier this month, Senator Lindsey Graham called for "Israel" to win its "existential" war in Gaza by doing whatever it takes, like when the US was “justified” to ignore civilian casualties after dropping the nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII.

"When we were faced with destruction as a nation after Pearl Harbor, fighting the Germans and the Japanese, we decided to end the war by bombing Hiroshima, Nagasaki, with nuclear weapons," Graham stated, adding, "So, Israel, do whatever you have to do to survive as a Jewish state. Whatever you have to do."

The United States is already facing charges at the International Court of Justice for its complicity in the Gaza genocide. 

Graham has also vowed to saction the International Criminal Court after arrest warrants were issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant earlier in the month. 

Read more: US expands production of 15-ton bombs to target nuclear facilities

Iran's nuclear doctrine

In May 2018, the US, under former President Donald Trump, withdrew from the JCPOA and re-imposed sanctions that the agreement had previously lifted. Efforts to restore the 2015 deal began in April 2021 in Vienna, with the goal of lifting sanctions against Iran and assessing the US' commitment to rejoining the JCPOA.

Unfortunately, these negotiations have been stalled since August 2022 due to Washington's unwavering stance of not removing all the sanctions imposed on Tehran by the previous US administration, leading to a deadlock in the process.

Since then, regional tensions have continued to mount and have worsened since the start of the Gaza genocide.

On May 9, Iran announced that it would change its nuclear doctrine should "Israel" threaten its existence. 

"We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine," Kamal Kharrazi was quoted as saying by Iran's Student News Agency (ISNA).

Read more: The Looming Threat of Nuclear War