Very true, but the 19 terrorists were not state actors with a power base to maintain and a country to run. Countries don't knowingly commit suicide in the same way that terrorists do.
"Countries don't knowingly commit suicide in the same way that terrorists do."
Your point is taken, but we don't know that for a country driven by religious fanatics who see death as a reward. Only in the most recent times have countries actually faced total annhilation as a possible outcome of total war. We, as a species are still learning. I would not be too quick to assume that MAD would deter the Iranians in charge -- as opposed to the Iranians as a people.
Neither of us knows for certain, but I'm not ready to exclude such an action on their part as impossible, just improbable.