Iran dismisses missile, nuclear claims after Trump alleges 'sinister ambitions'

TEHRAN: Iran on Wednesday rejected US President Donald Trump’s allegations regarding its missile and nuclear programmes, describing them as “big lies," amid rising tensions and ahead of a new round of talks between the two countries.

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump accused Tehran of harbouring “sinister nuclear ambitions” and claimed that Iran had developed missiles capable of threatening Europe and US bases overseas and was working on missiles that could eventually reach the United States.

The US president also alleged that Iranian authorities had killed 32,000 people during protests that began in December and peaked in early January, as Washington increases military deployments around the Gulf region.

Responding on Wednesday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei dismissed the accusations in a post on X, without naming Trump directly. “Whatever they’re alleging regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest, is simply the repetition of ‘big lies,'" he said.

The two sides are scheduled to hold a third round of talks on Thursday in Geneva, aiming to find a diplomatic solution to their long-running standoff.

Trump reiterated that he would not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, calling the country “the world’s number one sponsor of terror," and warned of possible military strikes if negotiations fail.

Hours before the US president’s speech, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement to avert military confrontation was within reach. In a social media post, he described a “historic opportunity” to reach an unprecedented deal addressing mutual concerns, provided diplomacy is prioritised.

Araghchi stressed that Iran would “under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon”, while maintaining its right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran and the United States held five rounds of nuclear talks last year, but negotiations stalled after Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, sparking a 12-day conflict.

Meanwhile, domestic tensions persist inside Iran. University students resumed protests at the start of the new semester, reviving slogans from earlier nationwide demonstrations against the clerical leadership. Verified videos showed clashes between groups of students at a university in Tehran earlier this week.

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, in the first official response to the renewed rallies, said students had the right to protest but must respect “red lines," including the national flag adopted after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The initial wave of unrest, triggered by economic hardships in sanctions-hit Iran, evolved into one of the most significant challenges to the country’s leadership in recent years. Human rights groups estimate thousands were killed in the crackdown, while Iranian officials put the death toll at over 3,000, blaming the violence on what they describe as foreign-backed “terrorist acts.”