>I doubt they would initiate a nuclear strike, knowing it means their annihilation.

If someone with a gun holstered at their waist asked you to give you your money, would you refuse?

If Iran will get access to nuclear weapons, it's status in international politics will change drastically, all leverages the west has on Iran (like the ability to impose sanctions upon human right violations and counter their violent export of the shiite ideology) will more or less disappear

Is that why we don't have the ability to impose sanctions on North Korea?

Firstly, the NK situation is terrible. South Koreans are basically living with a sword hanging above their neck 24/7.

I don't think that the middle east, being an unstable region to begin with, would benefit from yet such a major destabilizing factor.

Iran has an ability to inflict much more damage upon the west than NK and Pakistan combined. It is an oil rich country, neighbor to the one of the biggest oil exporters in the world and is located in the center one of the busiest naval traffic routes.

You cannot find similar rhetoric from the US vowing to destroy China. In fact, you'd find the exact opposite.

Your other points rely on a rational actor... rational actors don't take freight ships hostage nor kidnap tourists.

> rational actors don't take freight ships hostage not kidnap tourists.

Israel has kidnapped tourists before. Vanunu is still trapped in Israel.

Where has Iran said that they intend to use nuclear weapons?

> Israel has kidnapped tourists before. Vanunu is still trapped in Israel.

Mordechai Vanunu? His situation is quite a bit different than kidnapping a tourist that literally has done nothing to Iran except show up - or a freight ship traversing international waters. Vanunu leaked a ton of nuclear secrets about Israel and fled - ie, he was no tourist and your point makes no sense.

Whataboutism isn't a good reason to excuse Iran's extremely poor international behavior, nor condone their relentless threats against Israel and other nations (including the US). Nor does whataboutism excuse Iran's direct funding of terrorist groups that have killed Americans and other nationals alike.

With all these discussions, it's important to note the regime of Iran is not the people of Iran. The people are likely amazing and full of culture and history - the regime is oppressive and aggressive, which is not tolerated in modern times.

He was a tourist in Italy when he was abducted.

And Italy abducted him? I do not follow your point...

Still, keeping the guy who served his full sentence of nearly 20 years in the country (and with various additional restrictions) for anothe 15 years is not a nice thing to do. They should have shot him dead in Rome and be done with it, like in 2.5k other cases.

Nothing to do with the discussion here, just a random thought on the Vanunu matter.