IRGC Leader's Nuclear Threat Sparks Alarm: Is A Pakistan-Iran Axis Emerging Against Israel?

Amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, a top Iranian general has claimed that Pakistan will launch a nuclear strike on Israel if Tehran is attacked with nuclear weapons. The startling claim was made by General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior official of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a member of its National Security Council.

"Pakistan has assured us that if Israel uses a Nuclear bomb on Iran, Pakistan will attack Israel with a nuclear bomb," Rezaei said during an interview broadcast on Iranian state television, as the region reels under escalating missile exchanges between Iran and Israel.

The claim comes at a time when fears of a broader regional war loom large. Both Israel and Pakistan are among the nine nuclear-armed nations, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The list also includes the United States, Russia, France, China, India, North Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Rezaei's statement has raised fresh concerns about the widening scope of the Israel-Iran conflict, including a potential Pakistan-Iran axis, could further destabilise the region.

Another report, however, stated that Pakistan's Defence Minister had dismissed the claim, saying Islamabad made no such commitment.

The conflict between Israel and Iran escalated sharply over the weekend, with both countries launching strikes and counterstrikes amid rising regional tensions and mounting casualties. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike reportedly killed the chief of Iran's armed forces intelligence unit, a key military figure in Tehran's defense establishment. The assassination follows a series of targeted attacks by Israel, which struck multiple Iranian nuclear facilities, military sites, and civilian areas early Friday.

In response, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli targets, leading to widespread alarm across the region. Over 10 Israelis were injured in the retaliatory strikes, while Iran's health ministry claimed 224 deaths since the beginning of the Israeli offensive. At least 10 Israelis were reportedly killed overnight in Iranian strikes.

Despite growing international concern, Tehran has ruled out any ceasefire talks, declaring it will not negotiate "under continued attack". On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained firm, saying the top priority is to "eliminate the threat of Iran's nuclear program", not to engage in de-escalation.

US President Donald Trump has weighed in on the crisis, urging both nations to "reach a deal" and stating that "calls and meetings are underway" to defuse the situation. However, with both sides entrenched in their positions, prospects for immediate peace appear dim.