A woman walks past an anti-Israeli and anti-US billboard hanging from a building on Palestine Square in Tehran. AFP
"Whatever they're alleging in regards to Iran's nuclear programme, Iran's ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January's unrest, is simply the repetition of 'big lies'," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on X.
Baqaei did not specify exactly which claims he was responding to, but hours earlier Trump had said Iran was seeking missiles that could reach American soil.
In an interview with Al Jazeera this month, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran lacked the capability to target the US but would retaliate against American bases in the Middle East if Washington launched a strike.
During his State of the Union speech, Trump also reiterated that Iran would never be allowed to build a nuclear weapon, saying Tehran's leaders were "at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions".
Iran denies seeking to develop a nuclear weapon and says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. “We are absolutely not seeking nuclear weapons,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview. “If anyone wants to verify this, we are open to such verification to take place.”
The US president also alleged that Iranian authorities killed 32,000 people during a wave of protests that started in December and peaked on January 8 and 9.
Iranian officials acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths but say the violence was caused by “terrorist acts” fueled by the United States and Israel. Washington and Tel Aviv have openly supported regime change in Iran and have sought to capitalize on domestic unrest to topple the clerical authorities.
Trump's claims come after Washington and Tehran concluded two rounds of Oman-mediated talks aimed at reaching a deal on the nuclear programme, with the third round set for Thursday.
Washington has repeatedly called for zero uranium enrichment by Iran but has also sought to address its ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups in the region, demands Iran has rejected.
Trump has deployed significant naval forces to the Middle East and repeatedly threatened attacks on Tehran if it refuses to “capitulate” to US and Israeli demands.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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