Tehran: Iran has dismissed recent accusations by the United States and Israel regarding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, labeling them as "the repetition of big lies." Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei took to the US social media platform X to address the claims, stating that they are part of a systematic disinformation campaign against Iran. He emphasized that these allegations are simply the repetition of falsehoods aimed at undermining the nation.
According to Anadolu Agency, Baghaei referenced a propaganda principle coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels, suggesting that the US administration and its allies, particularly Israel, are using similar tactics to spread misinformation. He accused them of fabricating stories about Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missiles to serve their interests.
In a separate incident, Cuban authorities have identified several individuals allegedly involved in an attempted armed infiltration using a speedboat registered in Florida. The Interior Ministry reported that the vessel, carrying ten armed individuals, was intercepted off Cuba's northern coast. Preliminary statements from those detained indicate that the group intended to carry out a terrorist infiltration.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has engaged in discussions with US President Donald Trump ahead of Ukraine-US talks in Geneva. The talks are set to address various bilateral issues, with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participating in the discussions. Zelenskyy expressed hopes that the meeting would pave the way for trilateral peace talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US in early March, aiming to resolve ongoing conflicts and achieve peace.
In other news, global debt reached a record high of $348.3 trillion in 2025, as reported by the Institute of International Finance. The surge in debt was primarily driven by increased fiscal deficit spending in advanced economies. Additionally, the European Commission and the UK have signed a landmark competition cooperation agreement, marking the first such agreement since the UK's exit from the EU. The deal establishes a framework for collaboration on competition matters between EU and UK authorities.