Iranian FM Blasts US Atomic "Hypocrisy"

"The US insists Iran must not enjoy peaceful nuclear energy, buy any defense equipment, and build defensive missiles,” while it “spends $100 billion on new nuclear ICBMs, builds secret ‘new’ nukes, and floods regional clients with over $380 billion worth of arms”, Zarif wrote on his twitter page on Wednesday.

The top Iranian diplomat censured the US approach as “breathtaking hypocrisy”.

Zarif attached to his tweet an image of a recent news article that says the US Air Force has awarded a $13.3-billion contract for nuclear missiles.

He also attached a screenshot of a CNN report with quotes from Washington Post veteran Bob Woodward’s new book "Rage”, which includes a series of interviews with US President Donald Trump.

Trump has reportedly boasted to Woodward about a new secret weapons system.

"I have built a nuclear — a weapons system that nobody's ever had in this country before," Trump told Woodward. The journalist says other sources confirmed the information, without providing further details but expressed surprise that Trump disclosed it.

The US' huge spending on development of new nuclear weapons, including ICBMs, comes as the White House has spared no effort in the past decade to stop Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program, and insists that Iran abandons its defensive missile development.

It has also tried, in vain, to extend a UN arms embargo against Iran, which is to expire in October, in a bid to prevent the Islamic Republic from purchasing defense equipment from other countries.