Iran’s Foreign Ministry has vehemently rejected recent United States claims regarding its military capabilities and domestic unrest, characterizing the allegations as deliberate falsehoods. Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei utilized social media platform X to formally denounce what he termed ‘big lies’ perpetuated by American leadership.
The strong rebuttal came in direct response to statements made by President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address, where he asserted that Tehran was actively developing long-range missile systems capable of reaching American territory. Trump additionally reiterated his administration’s firm stance against Iranian nuclear weapons development, accusing Iranian leaders of pursuing ‘sinister nuclear ambitions.’
Contrary to these claims, Iranian officials maintain that their nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful in nature. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously clarified in an Al Jazeera interview that while Iran lacks the technical capability to target the United States directly, it would respond to any American military aggression by striking US bases throughout the Middle East region.
A significant point of contention emerged regarding casualty figures during January’s civil unrest. Trump alleged that Iranian authorities had killed approximately 32,000 protesters, while Iranian officials acknowledge approximately 3,000 fatalities, attributing these to what they describe as US and Israel-fueled ‘terrorist acts.’ Independent verification from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency documents over 7,000 deaths, with warnings that the actual toll may substantially exceed this figure.
The escalating war of words occurs amidst heightened regional tensions, with Iran maintaining military alertness against potential US or Israeli operations. This exchange represents the latest chapter in the ongoing diplomatic confrontation between Tehran and Washington, with both nations presenting starkly contradictory narratives regarding Iran’s military programs and internal affairs.