Iranian official claims Pakistan will launch nuclear strike on Israel if Tel Aviv uses nukes
Pakistan denies
Tehran: A senior Iranian official has claimed that Pakistan has assured Tehran of a nuclear response against Israel if the Zionist state uses nuclear weapons in the ongoing conflict. Mohsen Rezaei, a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and member of the National Security Council, made the statement during an interview on Iranian state television.
“Pakistan has told us that if Israel uses nuclear missiles, we will also attack it with nuclear weapons,” Rezaei asserted, implying a potential deepening of regional hostilities.
Pakistan’s Shaheen-III missile, with a range of up to 2,700 kilometers, is capable of reaching Israeli territory. While the Pakistani military has not officially commented, the missile is believed to be operational under the country’s strategic forces.
However, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif later dismissed the claim, stating unequivocally that Islamabad had made no such commitment. In a post on X, Asif emphasised that Pakistan’s policy had not changed, but also cautioned that Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal, especially amid the current volatile situation, could embolden Tel Aviv to act more aggressively — raising the risk of a broader regional conflict.
Despite rejecting the nuclear claim, Pakistan has expressed firm diplomatic solidarity with Iran. On June 14, Defence Minister Asif urged Muslim countries to unite against what he described as Israeli aggression not just toward Iran, but also Palestine and Yemen. He called on countries maintaining ties with Israel to sever them and urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to craft a joint strategy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a recent phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, condemned Israeli airstrikes as violations of Iran’s sovereignty and called for urgent international intervention.
The Israel-Iran conflict has intensified dramatically, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites in cities such as Tehran and Mashhad. Iran has responded with its own missile attacks. Both sides have reported casualties.
Rezaei also warned that Iran has undisclosed capabilities and strategies that could shift the balance in the ongoing conflict, adding to global concerns over further escalation.
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Delhi chokes as AQI nears 'severe' level
New Delhi (PTI): A thick blanket of smog shrouded the national capital on Saturday morning with an air quality index (AQI) of 397, on the brinks of the 'severe' category.
Of the total monitoring stations in Delhi, 21 were in the 'severe' category with AQI readings crossing the 400-mark, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.
According to the CPCB data, Wazirpur registered the highest AQI at 445, followed by Vivek Vihar at 444, Jahangirpuri at 442, Anand Vihar at 439, and 437 each in Ashok Vihar and Rohini.
Narela recorded an AQI of 432, followed by 431 in Pratapganj, 430 in Mundka, and 429 each in Bawana, ITO and Nehru Nagar, it added.
The AQI stood at 423 each in Chandni Chowk and Punjabi Bagh, while Siri Fort and Sonia Vihar each recorded 424, the CPCB data added.
It further noted that Burari Crossing registered an AQI of 414, followed by 409 at Karni Singh Shooting Range, 408 each in North Campus and RK Puram, 404 at and Okhla Phase 2.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe', according to CPCB.
The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category on Saturday and may deteriorate further, with conditions expected to slip into the 'severe' category on Sunday.
