TEHRAN (Realist English). Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday strongly condemned Washington’s decision to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling it a “regressive and irresponsible move” that threatens global security.
In an official statement, Araghchi criticized the U.S. for rebranding its “Department of Defense” as the “Department of War”, accusing it of openly embracing militarism and undermining international stability.
“The same bully that has long demonized Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and threatened attacks on safeguarded facilities is now resuming its own atomic weapons tests — in blatant violation of international law,” he said.
Araghchi denounced the U.S. as “the world’s most dangerous proliferation risk”, warning that its decision could erode decades of nonproliferation efforts and further destabilize international peace.
He called on the global community to “hold Washington accountable for normalizing nuclear proliferation”, urging collective action to prevent a new arms race.
The statement came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington would restart nuclear testing, boasting that the U.S. now has “the largest nuclear arsenal in the world.”
“I hated to do it, but had no choice,” Trump said, claiming that renewed testing was necessary to respond to the nuclear advances of other countries. He said the newly renamed Department of War would begin tests “immediately.”
Trump also repeated the discredited claim that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program — a statement contradicted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reaffirmed that there is no evidence of nuclear weapons activity in Iran, noting that the UN agency’s monitoring has consistently verified the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear program.
