In a televised interview broadcast on Iranian state TV on July 12, former senior Iranian official Mohammad Javad Larijani openly warned that European cities could soon become targets of drone attacks, signaling an escalation in Tehran’s rhetoric against the West following recent military tensions with Israel and the United States.
“It’s entirely possible that five drones could strike a European city,” Larijani said, adding, “Europe may no longer be safe.” He made the remarks during a live interview on IRINN TV, where he also admitted the regime had been “surprised by internal infiltrations” and warned that recent developments in drone warfare could destabilize Western security.
Larijani, a former top judiciary official and adviser to the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, went further in a previous interview, suggesting that former U.S. President Donald Trump could be assassinated by a drone while sunbathing at Mar-a-Lago. Though he appeared to soften the comment by adding, “We fight like men—drones are for cowards,” the remark has been widely interpreted as a veiled threat, especially following Iran’s expulsion of IAEA nuclear inspectors and its vow to retaliate after strikes on its nuclear facilities in June.
Mohammad-Javad Larijani—senior advisor to #Khamenei—has just revealed more than intended. He said Iran is ready to share the peaceful parts of its nuclear program. That’s not transparency—it’s admission. If there are “peaceful parts,” what are the others?
The regime has never… pic.twitter.com/Dmof7XRnAV— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 20, 2025
The timing of Larijani’s statements has raised alarm across Europe. Days ago, the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee labeled Iran one of the top three state-based threats to British national security, citing its use of espionage networks and proxies in Europe. Similarly, the European Parliament has previously warned about the clerical regime’s reliance on criminal networks to orchestrate terrorist plots on European soil.
Larijani’s comments come amid growing international frustration over Iran’s nuclear defiance. The E3 (UK, France, Germany) are reportedly considering triggering the UN sanctions snapback mechanism over Tehran’s violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.
The drone threats are being interpreted not just as military bluster, but as part of Tehran’s broader campaign of state intimidation and asymmetric warfare. Observers say that the Iranian regime’s leadership is increasingly resorting to transnational threats to shift global attention from its intensifying domestic crisis and international isolation.
#Iran News: Larijani Claims Tehran Can Achieve Military #Nuclear Readiness in 24 Hourshttps://t.co/KtTUnFtBPs
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 19, 2024
Larijani’s comments reflect a broader pattern among regime officials, who have increasingly used aggressive rhetoric — including veiled references to nuclear weapons — to deter any firm international stance.
While such language is aimed at intimidating foreign governments and shoring up the morale of the regime’s demoralized base, it is reinforced by four decades of global terrorism, hostage-taking, proxy warfare, human rights abuses, and nuclear extortion. Hence, the only lasting way to neutralize this threat is to support the Iranian people in their struggle to bring down the regime itself.