TEHRAN– In a move reigniting global nuclear tension, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling it “regressive” and “irresponsible.”
Trump made the statement on Thursday before he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea. The U.S. leader claimed the Pentagon had been instructed to restart testing “on an equal basis” with Russia and China.
Iran’s Sharp Response
Araghchi took to the social media platform X to denounce Washington’s move, stating:
“Having rebranded its ‘Department of Defense’ as the ‘Department of War,’ a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons.”
He accused the United States of hypocrisy for demonizing Iran’s peaceful nuclear program while violating international norms itself.
“The same bully threatens strikes on safeguarded nuclear facilities in blatant violation of international law,” Araghchi added.
The Return of Nuclear Competition
Trump’s declaration marks a potential shift toward renewed nuclear competition among global powers. Analysts suggest that the move responds not to Iran, but to recent advancements in Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities.
Russia recently announced the testing of its Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo and the Burevestnik cruise missile, while China showcased its new Dongfeng-5 ICBMs during a September military parade.
Experts warn this escalating competition could undermine the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), signed in 1996 but never fully ratified by the U.S., China, or Iran.
Historical Perspective
The United States last conducted a nuclear test in 1992, while Russia and China ended their tests in 1990 and 1996, respectively. Since then, only North Korea has performed live atomic explosions, the last in 2017. Resuming U.S. testing would mark the first nuclear detonation in 33 years, signaling a potential end to decades of restraint and raising alarm across the international community.
Risking a Global Arms Race
Dr. Trevor Findlay, a nuclear policy expert at the University of Melbourne, suggested Trump’s statement may refer to missile-capable tests rather than full nuclear detonations:
“These would involve dummy warheads, not actual nuclear explosions,” he said, warning, however, that the rhetoric itself could trigger global escalation dynamics.
Ankit Panda, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, emphasized the risk of a new nuclear arms race:
“Even if symbolic, such testing signals a breakdown in restraint, a strategic message Moscow and Beijing will not ignore.”
Iran’s Position and Regional Implications
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely civilian in nature, consistent with IAEA safeguards. The Trump administration, however, has repeatedly targeted Tehran’s nuclear sites, most recently through joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in June 2025. Observers believe the renewed U.S. posture could intensify Iran’s alignment with Russia and China, deepening the emerging Eurasian strategic bloc opposing Western dominance.
