TEHRAN - Ali Larijani, a top Iranian politician, says Iran has the capability to build nuclear weapon but the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa (religious decree) banning its production, but if the United States or Israel attacks Iran then the Islamic Republic will be pushed toward building nuclear weapons under public pressure at home.

"Iran says it has the capability, but the Supreme Leader's fatwa is that we are not moving toward weapons. A fatwa is different from political directives," Larijani, a senior aide to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, told a televised program on Monday night.

Just recently the head of the U.S. intelligence community declared that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, he said, then asking, “So what are you saying? What is your message?"

On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran with bombings and secondary tariffs if the country does not come to an agreement with his administration about its nuclear program.

“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said during a phone call with NBC News.

Larijani, a former chief nuclear negotiator, said, "I think the U.S. is making a strategic mistake. We have stated that there is both a fatwa and that we are working under the supervision of the IAEA, and we are not moving toward weapons. However, if you make a mistake regarding Iran's nuclear issue, you will force Iran to take that step. You are creating this situation with your own actions. Iran does not want to pursue this path, but when you apply pressure, it creates a secondary justification, and Iran may have no choice but to respond to public demands for security."

He further stated, "Even now, we say we are not moving toward weapons. The IAEA's oversight can last forever; we have no problem with that because we do not want to make empty claims. However, if you or Israel move toward bombing, you will force Iran to make a different decision."