On Thursday, October 30, 2025, Iran’s Foreign Minister strongly condemned the United States’ plans to restart nuclear weapons testing, describing the decision as “regressive and irresponsible.” This sharp criticism came in response to a surprise directive from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking on social media, Abbas Araghchi stated, “A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.” He further emphasized that “The (U.S.) announcement of a resumption of nuclear tests is a regressive and irresponsible move and a serious threat to international peace and security.”
This development follows closely on the heels of an announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Putin had revealed that Moscow had successfully tested a nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater drone, a move that directly defied warnings from Washington.
President Trump’s directive to the Pentagon to commence nuclear weapons testing, mirroring the activities of China and Russia, was made public on Thursday, October 30, 2025. This order was issued just moments before he was scheduled to open a crucial summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump explicitly mentioned Russia and China when explaining his decision: “Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.” He also highlighted that the United States possesses more nuclear weapons than any other nation, commending his administration’s efforts to undertake “a complete update and renovation of existing weapons.”