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Iran accused the United States of "deception" on Saturday and insisted its missiles are for self-defence only after a top US official charged that the Islamic republic could rain missiles down on Europe.

"The Islamic Republic's missile capability has been designed and implemented to defend against any military aggression and it does not threaten any nation," Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in a statement carried by state media.

He was reacting to remarks by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday that US intelligence has shown that Iran could attack Europe with "scores or hundreds" of missiles, prompting major changes to US missile defences.

Washington seeks to "expand its domination over Europe, and to find an excuse not to dismantle its nuclear weapons stationed in the region, while putting the pressure on Russia and surrounding it," Vahidi said.

"The US seeks to create regional discord and impair (Moscow's) regional ties to humiliate Russia and weaken its relations with neighbouring countries," he added, urging Russia not to fall for "US deception and psychological war."