WASHINGTON — A U.S military official is denying Russian claims that a new nuclear treaty includes restrictions on missile defense systems.

Russia says an arms reduction treaty it signed with the United States this month includes restrictions on missile defense.

But the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that the treaty’s references to missile defense are not legally binding.

Russia strongly opposes U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in Europe, even though the U.S. says it is intended to stop missiles from Iran, not Russia. It has threatened to pull out of the treaty if it is threatened by the system.