[Today’s Prayer] Iran: "If attacked, nuclear armament is inevitable"... Trump's bombing threat leads to a standoff

Iran has warned that it has no other alternative than nuclear armament if it is attacked, and is taking a strong stance in response to US President Donald Trump's threat to impose bombings and secondary tariffs if the country does not stop developing nuclear weapons, AFP reported.

Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said in an interview with Iranian state TV on March 31 (local time), "The group is not aiming for (nuclear) weapons, but if you do something wrong on the Iranian nuclear issue, it will push Iran in that direction, because Iran has to defend itself."

"Iran doesn't want to do this, but they will have no other choice," he said. "At some point, if you move toward bombing Iran, either on your own or through Israel, you will be forcing Iran to make that decision."

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who is in charge of Iran's ballistic missile program, also appeared on state TV that day and said, "The United States has at least 10 bases and 50,000 troops around Iran. People in glass rooms should not throw stones at someone," suggesting that the Iranian military would respond based on secured intelligence if attacked by the United States.

Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeed Irabani also criticized President Trump's reckless and belligerent remarks that violated international law and the United Nations Charter in a letter sent to the United Nations on the same day, and emphasized that "Iran opposes any military adventurism and will respond swiftly and resolutely if the United States or its proxy power, Israel, violates or attacks Iran's sovereignty, territory, or national interests."

Iran reached a nuclear deal (JCPOA, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) with six countries, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, in 2015, in exchange for lifting sanctions imposed by the West in exchange for freezing or reducing its nuclear program. However, President Trump unilaterally abrogated the nuclear deal in 2018 during his first term in office and restored sanctions against Iran.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Trump has continued the hard-line policy of his first term, pursuing a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and force a nuclear deal.

Early last month, the United States sent a letter to Iran urging nuclear negotiations, setting a "two-month deadline," and warned that it could take military action if Iran did not agree to the negotiations.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20250401030000009

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)

God, we are saddened to see the situation in the Middle East further destabilized by the collapse of the nuclear deal between Iran and the United States.

As your prophecy of nation rising up against nation is being fulfilled, we ask that you have compassion on these nations as they accuse and hate one another and fight for their own self-interest.

The Father has chosen these nations to be saved. All nations belong to You, Lord, and may they come to understand Your Word and be clothed with compassion, mercy, humility, gentleness, and longsuffering, fueled by the love of Jesus. May they forgive and love one another with Your heart.

May the perfect love of Jesus, which covers a multitude of sins, fill all the Middle East, beyond Iran, the United States, and Israel!

Let all the churches in the Middle East that have received new life in Your name first repent and forgive one another in love, and let the power of that love cover all the lands of the Middle East.

Let the Global Church pray for these people in this difficult time, and through all these prayers and petitions, may Iran, America, Israel, and all the Middle East be built up as an army of the Holy King, worshipping You and witnessing to the Gospel, preparing the way for the coming of our Lord!