General Mohsen Rezaee, senior officer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a member of the National Security Council, declared in a televised interview: “Pakistan has told us that if Israel uses nuclear missiles, we will also attack it with nuclear weapons.”
While Iran and Israel edge closer to all-out war following Israel’s bombardment of Iranian nuclear and military sites, this new claim has sparked global concern over a potential World War 3-style confrontation in the Middle East.
Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif, however, denied Rezaee’s statement, saying: “Pakistan is signatory to all international nuclear disciplines. Our nuclear capability is for defence, not escalation.”
Despite that, Pakistan has openly supported Iran in recent days. Asif warned that Israel’s aggression could engulf the entire region, calling it a threat to Yemen, Palestine, and beyond.
Nuclear Arsenal in Play?
Pakistan’s Shaheen-III missile, with a range of 2,700 km, can reach any part of Israel, and analysts believe it is fully operational. While no official deployment has been confirmed, the rhetoric suggests that Pakistan wants to project nuclear deterrence in defense of Muslim solidarity.Meanwhile, Israel’s strikes on Iran have reportedly killed hundreds, including top IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists. In response, Iran has launched waves of missiles, with at least five Israeli civilians confirmed dead amid rising panic and air raid sirens.U.S. officials confirmed that former President Donald Trump had earlier urged Israel not to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the strikes. Trump has since urged both sides to “make a deal,” but also remarked, “sometimes they have to fight it out first.”
Pakistan’s Growing Role
Though Pakistan has not confirmed any nuclear threat against Israel officially, its recent diplomatic alignment with Iran is unmistakable.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, condemning Israel’s attack as a violation of sovereignty and calling for global intervention. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for Iran and urged Muslim nations to cut ties with Tel Aviv.
Defense Minister Asif echoed the sentiment in parliament, calling on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene urgently and form a united front.
