Iran denounces US nuclear test resumption as reckless and regressive
Iran’s foreign minister has publicly condemned the United States’ plans to restart nuclear weapons testing, describing the move as “regressive and irresponsible.” The remarks followed President Donald Trump’s surprise directive, issued via social media, ordering the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear testing after more than three decades of moratorium.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized what he labeled as blatant hypocrisy, arguing that a “nuclear-armed aggressor” resuming atomic tests was the same power that actively demonizes Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. Araghchi, posting on X (formerly Twitter), highlighted that the US’s switch from a “Department of Defense” to a so-called “Department of War” further underlined the nation’s aggressive posture, claiming the very same US officials have threatened Iranian nuclear sites in violation of international norms.
Trump’s directive coincided with a meeting in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping and was justified as a response to growing nuclear capabilities by Russia and China. The US president insisted his order was necessary to maintain parity after reports of new nuclear systems tested or displayed by both Moscow and Beijing. Experts argue, however, that the US already maintains a vast lead in nuclear warheads and that no compelling technical or military rationale exists for new tests.
The international community, including American allies and nonproliferation advocates, has widely criticized the shift, saying that it could unravel decades of progress on arms control and prompt rival states to resume their own nuclear weapons testing. Many analysts also warn that resuming US nuclear explosive tests would undermine the global nonproliferation regime, risking a new arms race and further escalating geopolitical tensions.
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