Iran's deputy foreign minister warns that in the event of a nuclear strike against the Islamic Republic, the country’s “hands are not tied,” saying Tehran would naturally take the necessary measures in accordance with such circumstances.

“Iran would not simply stand by and limit itself to pursuing legal measures at the international level if nuclear weapons were used against the country,” Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi told reporters on Monday.

The diplomat cautioned that any official threat by a nuclear-armed entity to use nuclear weapons against Iran would undermine the credibility of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“If the head of state or a military or political official of a nuclear-armed country that is party to the treaty threatened to use such weapons, the NPT regime would no longer retain credibility,” he stated.

According to Gharibabadi, this could encourage countries to take the necessary decisions to defend themselves by any means available, warning of the regional and global consequences of such threats.

He, however, noted that Tehran had so far received no official position from US officials regarding threats reported by some Western media outlets about the possible use of nuclear weapons against the Islamic Republic.

Separately, he said Iran had activated available legal mechanisms to pursue the American-Israeli attacks that had targeted its nuclear facilities.

‘Iran maintains its proposed plan as basis for diplomacy’

Gharibabadi also touched on a “Seven-Day Plan” that Iran presented to the United States through mediators on the sidelines of the latest meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York.

According to the official, Iran continues to view the plan that addresses the likelihood of reopening the Strait of Hormuz – which Iran has closed in the face of American violations – as the basis for diplomatic efforts.

He said Iran’s requirements were clear and that a diplomatic understanding could be reached if they were met.

The diplomat added that the requirements had largely been reflected in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding that was reached between Tehran and Washington in June.

The MoU was signed by the countries’ presidents with the stated aim of ending the cycle that had arisen out of the latest round of unwarranted American-Israeli aggression against Iran, but was soon violated by the US.

“We remain in a state of war, and from the perspective of the Islamic Republic, the aggression against our country has not ended,” he said.

Gharibabadi said that Iran retained its right to self-defense until the military aggression had ended completely and permanently, and called on the other side to adhere to Iran’s timeframe and requirements if it genuinely sought a diplomatic resolution.

At the same time, Iran would approach the issue of negotiations with the same seriousness it expected from Washington if the United States was genuinely prepared to pursue diplomacy, he stated. However, he warned that if Washington pursued other scenarios, Iran would defend itself with greater resolve and intensity.

Legal cases on Leader’s martyrdom, assault on Dena vessel

Elsewhere in his remarks, Gharibabadi outlined the Foreign Ministry’s efforts to pursue legal cases concerning US and Israeli atrocities against Iran, announcing that the case concerning the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei during the latest aggression had been added to the legal review agenda.

Alongside those efforts, the Foreign Ministry’s team of legal experts had placed the deadly American attack that targeted Iran’s Dena frigate in international waters during the aggression on the agenda too, the official noted.

He added that bringing the cases before international courts was among Iran’s priority objectives.

‘US elections do not affect Iran’s policies’

Gharibabadi also addressed whether US elections could affect Iran’s foreign policy, saying Tehran did not formulate its policies around electoral developments in other countries.

He said US elections were a matter for the American people, adding, “We make decisions and take action based on what we determine to be in the interests of our country and its national security, without being influenced by external factors.”