Iran's foreign minister says his country does not want war with Israel or the U.S., but is ready to fight back if attacked

President Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran's leaders, facing their biggest anti-government protests since 2022, use force against demonstrators.

After meeting with Israel's Netanyahu, Trump said he'd heard Iran is trying to rebuild its nuclear program, "and if they are, we're going to have to knock them down."

The comments by Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami come as Iran tries to respond to what it sees as a dual threat posed by Israel and the United States, as well as the protests sparked by its economic woes that have grown into a direct challenge to its theocracy.

Protests challenging Iran’s theocracy have reached the two-week mark, with demonstrators flooding the streets in Tehran and Mashhad

And an Iranian attack against Israel would be “a suicide note for the regime,” Merhavy said, because there will be little outcry if Israel responds strongly against the Irania

President Donald Trump is weighing a series of potential military options in Iran following deadly protests in the country, two US officials told CNN, as he considers following through on his recent threats to strike the Iranian regime should it use lethal force against civilians.

As Iran continues its violent crackdown on protesters, President Trump is again threatening U.S. intervention if demonstrators are killed. NBC's Richard Engel has the latest.