Iran Denounces US Claims on Missile Program as ‘Big Lies’
Tehran Rejects Trump’s Allegations Amid Tensions Over Nuclear and Ballistic Capabilities
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday dismissed recent US claims about its missile program and nuclear ambitions as “big lies,” following President Donald Trump’s statements that Tehran is developing missiles capable of reaching the United States.
Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X that “whatever they’re alleging regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest, is simply the repetition of ‘big lies’.”
He did not specify which claims he was directly responding to, but his remarks came shortly after Trump asserted that Iran was actively pursuing long-range missile capabilities.
In a February interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that Iran does not possess the capability to strike the US directly but warned that American bases in the Middle East would be targeted if Washington launched a military strike.
During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump also insisted that Iran would never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, claiming that Tehran’s leaders are “at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions.”
Iran has repeatedly rejected any intention to build nuclear weapons, insisting its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes.
Trump further accused Iranian authorities of killing 32,000 people during a wave of protests that erupted in December and peaked on January 8–9. Iranian officials acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts” allegedly fueled by the United States and Israel.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has documented over 7,000 deaths during the unrest, though it warns that the full toll is likely significantly higher.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, with both sides trading accusations over nuclear ambitions, missile programs, and human rights practices, underscoring the fragile security situation in the Middle East.