US President Donald Trump raised alarm over Iran’s missile capabilities, claiming that Tehran is working on long-range missiles that can reach American territory.
In response, Iran dismissed the claims about its nuclear and missile programs as “big lies,” suggesting that a new nuclear deal is “within reach” as the two longtime foes prepare for a third round of indirect talks in Geneva this Thursday.
Iranian Missile Threat
In his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Trump claimed that Iran is developing missiles that can strike the US and its European allies.
“They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” he said, accusing Iran of restarting its nuclear program.
“They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular nuclear weapons. … They want to start all over again and are at this moment pursuing their sinister ambitions,” Trump added.
In June 2025, the US joined Israel in its 12-day war against Iran, bombing Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan, in an attempt to destroy Iran’s infrastructure for enriching uranium.
Iran Missile Capabilities
In May 2025, the US Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that Iran could have 60 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) by 2035.
“Iran has space launch vehicles it could use to develop a militarily-viable ICBM by 2035 should Tehran decide to pursue the capability. The majority of systems presented here have nuclear-capable variants,” the report noted.
Moreover, data from the US Congressional Research Service indicates that Iran’s current ballistic missile arsenal, consisting of short- and medium-range systems, reaches a maximum distance of approximately 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers).
However, the continental United States is more than 6,000 miles away from Iran.
The Diplomacy Path
Trump said that he prefers a diplomatic solution, yet he maintained his threats to strike Iran if negotiations failed. “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
The US and Iran are set for a fresh round of indirect Omani-mediated talks in Geneva on Thursday, February 26, with Tehran expected to present a counterproposal that bridges the gaps in the two sides’ positions.
The negotiations take place against the backdrop of a significant US military buildup in the Middle East, involving two aircraft carriers and their strike groups, as well as hundreds of military aircraft and advanced missile defense systems, including Patriot and THAAD batteries, marking the largest American force concentration in the region since 2003.
‘Big Lies’
Following the State of the Union Address, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, dismissed the claims about Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, without mentioning Trump.
“Whatever they’re alleging in regards to Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest is simply the repetition of ‘big lies’,” Baqaei wrote on X, accusing the US administration and Israel of launching “disinformation and misinformation campaign” against Iran.
In his speech, Trump accused Iranian regime of killing thousands of demonstrations during a nationwide wave of protests that started in December and peaked in early January. “They’ve killed at least 32,000 protesters in their own country – they shot a lot of them and hung them. This is some terrible people,” he said.
A Deal Within Reach
Leading Iran‘s negotiating team, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, voiced willingness to reach a “fair and equitable deal” in Geneva talks.
“We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority,” he posted on X ahead of Trump’s speech.
While Trump signaled openness to negotiations, he doubled down on his demand that Iran gives up its nuclear ambitions. “We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words, ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon’,” Trump said.
“No nation should ever doubt America’s resolve. We have the most powerful military on earth,” the US President added.
