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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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
