Iran Says to Change Nuclear Doctrine if Existence Threatened

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a ceremony in Tehran on May 1, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a ceremony in Tehran on May 1, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
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Iran Says to Change Nuclear Doctrine if Existence Threatened

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a ceremony in Tehran on May 1, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a ceremony in Tehran on May 1, 2024. (Photo by KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)

Iran will have to change its nuclear doctrine if its existence is threatened by Israel, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, Kamal Kharrazi said, raising concerns about an Iranian nuclear weapon.
"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," Kharrazi said, as reported by Iran's Student News Network on Thursday, adding that Tehran has already signaled it has the potential to build such weapons.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei banned the development of nuclear weapons in a fatwa in the early 2000s, reiterating his stance in 2019 by saying: "Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong and using it is haram (religiously forbidden) ... Although we have nuclear technology, Iran has firmly avoided it."
However, Iran's then-intelligence minister said in 2021 that Western pressure could push Tehran to seek nuclear weapons, Reuters reported.
"In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime (Israel), our deterrence will change," Kharrazi added.
In April, Iran and Israel reached their highest level of tensions, with Tehran directly launching about 300 missiles and drones against Israel as retaliation for a suspected deadly Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Damascus.



Musk Says Some of His Posts about Trump ‘Went Too Far’

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP)
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP)
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Musk Says Some of His Posts about Trump ‘Went Too Far’

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP)
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, left, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP)

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk said on Wednesday he regretted some of the posts he made last week about US President Donald Trump as they had gone "too far". 

Trump said on Saturday his relationship with Musk was over after they exchanged insults on social media, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO describing the president's sweeping tax and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination." 

Musk has since deleted some posts critical of Trump, including one signaling support for impeaching the president, and sources close to the world's richest man say his anger has started to subside and he may want to repair the relationship. 

"I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far," Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X on Wednesday, without saying which specific posts he was talking about. 

Tesla shares in Frankfurt rose 2.7% after Musk's post. 

Musk bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, spending nearly $300 million in last year's US elections and taking credit for Republicans retaining a majority of seats in the House and retaking a majority in the Senate. 

Trump then named him to head an effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending. 

Musk left the role late last month after criticizing Trump's marquee tax bill, calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his work at the Department of Government Efficiency. 

Declaring their relationship over on Saturday, Trump said there would be "serious consequences" if Musk decided to fund US Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the tax and spending bill. Trump also said he had no intention of repairing ties with Musk. 

On Monday, Trump said he would not have a problem if Musk called and that he had no plans to discontinue the Starlink satellite internet provided to the White House by Musk's SpaceX but might move his Tesla off-site. 

"We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well," Trump said. Musk responded with a heart emoji to a video on X showing Trump's remarks.