U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of pursuing “sinister nuclear ambitions,” as Washington boosts military deployments around the Gulf ahead of renewed talks in Geneva. The third round of negotiations, set for Thursday, aims to reach a diplomatic solution to tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
In his State of the Union address, Trump claimed Iran had “already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas” and was working on missiles capable of reaching the United States. He said Tehran was “starting all over again” with nuclear activities and was “again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions.”
Iran rejected the allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called claims about Iran’s nuclear program, missile development, and casualty numbers during January protests “the repetition of ‘big lies.’”
Trump also alleged that Iranian authorities killed 32,000 people during protests that began in December, peaking on January 8 and 9.
Western governments have long suspected Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies, insisting its program is peaceful. Trump warned military strikes remain on the table if diplomacy fails, while Iranian officials have promised a firm response to any attack.
“I prefer diplomacy,” Trump said, “but I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror … to have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a deal to avoid conflict was still possible, emphasizing diplomacy and Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Previous negotiations collapsed last year after Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran sparked a 12-day war.
