A senior Iranian official has claimed that United States soldiers have been captured since the outbreak of fighting between Iran and US-Israeli forces last week.

Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, said in a post on the social media platform X on Saturday that several American troops had been taken prisoner.

“It has been reported to me that several American soldiers have been taken prisoner,” Larijani wrote, suggesting Washington was concealing the captures.

“But the Americans claim that they have been killed in action. Despite their futile efforts, the truth is not something they can hide for too long,” he added.

The US military quickly rejected the claim.

US navy captain Tim Hawkins dismissed the claim, saying Iran was spreading false information.

“The Iranian regime is doing everything it can to peddle lies and deceive. This is yet another clear example,” Hawkins said in response to Larijani’s post.

A spokesperson for United States Central Command (CENTCOM) also denied the claim, calling it “yet another example of the Iranian regime’s lies and deceptions.”

The comments come as hostilities continue following the launch of a joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28 under Operation Epic Fury.

At least six members of the US armed forces have so far been killed since the conflict began, according to US officials.

Regional states warned

Meanwhile, Larijani warned regional countries against allowing the United States to use their territory to launch attacks against Iran, saying Tehran would be forced to act if such activities continued.

Ali Larijani said countries in the region should prevent the United States from using their land to carry out operations against Iran.

“If they fail to do so, Iran will be compelled to stop it itself,” he said.

Larijani added that Iran would take every possible measure to avenge the blood of its leaders and citizens killed in the conflict.

According to him, US President Donald Trump would have to “pay the price” for what he described as injustice against Iran.

In an earlier interview with Iranian state television, Larijani said Washington had believed it could replicate in Iran a scenario similar to what it attempted in Venezuela.

He said the United States had assumed it could attack Iran, gain control and quickly end the situation, but its calculations had proved wrong and it was now “badly trapped” in the crisis.

Warning to Kurdish groups

Larijani also warned Kurdish groups, saying the Iranian military had clearly conveyed that they would be held accountable if they made any “mistake”.

Meanwhile, Trump said in a recent statement that he did not want Kurdish forces to become involved in the war, warning that their participation could further complicate the conflict.

His remarks appeared to contrast with earlier comments in a media interview in which he had expressed support for Kurdish involvement in the war against Iran.