US President Donald Trump has rebuked former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev over remarks implying the possible transfer of nuclear weapons to Iran, prompting a public clarification from the Russian official.
The dispute emerged after Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social platform, reacting to comments made by Medvedev in response to recent US military strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Medvedev, currently serving as Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, had criticised the operation, arguing that it would not achieve its intended objectives and claiming that “a number of countries are ready to directly provide Iran with their nuclear arsenal”.
Trump questioned whether Medvedev had “carelessly used that word (nukes!)” and called for immediate confirmation. “Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination?” Trump asked. “If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The “N word” should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s “THE BOSS,” he added.
The remarks came shortly after the US launched precision strikes on targets in Iran believed to be involved in its nuclear programme. Trump praised the operation, thanking “our Great Fighter Pilots”, as well as the captain and crew of the nuclear submarine used to launch missiles during the action.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Medvedev issued a clarification on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) later the same day. While reiterating his condemnation of the US strike on Iran, Medvedev denied that Russia had any intention of supplying Tehran with nuclear weapons. He stated that Russia, unlike Israel, remains a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and has no plans to violate it.
“The Russian Federation has no intention of delivering nuclear weapons to Iran,” Medvedev wrote. He went on to explain that his original post referred to the theoretical possibility of other countries arming Iran, not Russia itself. “And clearly, we should not be arguing over who possesses more nuclear weapons,” he added.
The Russian official’s comments had drawn alarm in Washington and beyond, amid persistent concerns over nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. Although no specific states were named in Medvedev’s original message, the reference to supplying Iran with a “nuclear arsenal” was viewed as a provocative statement at a time of escalating tensions.
The US airstrike, reportedly carried out using a combination of naval-launched missiles and air assets, targeted several facilities believed to be involved in uranium enrichment. While Iran has downplayed the extent of the damage, it has vowed to retaliate, and dismissed US and Israeli allegations of military dimensions to its nuclear programme.
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