Iran Hardliners Push for Nuclear Shift Amid Russian Warnings to U.S.

Iranian political discourse has shifted sharply over the last 24 hours as influential hardliners and state-linked media outlets call for a "major shift" in the country's nuclear doctrine. Figures such as Mohammad Javad Larijani are openly questioning the long-standing religious ban on atomic weapons, while the Tasnim News Agency has advocated for Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). These rhetorical escalations follow recent U.S. and Israeli strikes and come amid reports that Tehran may be preparing to accelerate nuclear enrichment. On the diplomatic front, Russia has intervened with a stern warning to President Trump's administration. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explicitly cautioned Washington against military intervention in the region. This statement follows a high-level call between President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in which both nations condemned recent military actions and urged a return to diplomatic channels. On the ground in the Gulf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a public alert to civilians, advising them to stay away from U.S. and Israeli positions due to the threat of imminent strikes. In a significant leadership change, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr has been appointed as the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, replacing Ali Larijani. Analysts suggest this move may signal a more rigid coordination of Iran’s regional security and proxy strategies moving forward.