Iran will have to change its nuclear doctrine if its existence is threatened by Israel, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Sayyid Kamal Kharrazi said.

“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.

Tehran has always claimed it had no plans to obtain nuclear weapons. Israel and Western governments suspect that it wants nuclear technology to build a bomb, and its nuclear program has been at the centre of a long-running dispute that has led to sanctions.

Iran’s then-intelligence minister said in 2021 that Western pressure could push Tehran to seek nuclear weapons. “In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime (Israel), our deterrence will change,” Kharrazi, who is a former foreign minister, added in the remarks published Thursday.