Iran says it does not seek nuclear weapons amid tensions with Israel

By Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iran “has proven in action what it has always publicly committed itself to: we have never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said early Thursday, as tensions with Israel remain high following missile attacks.

"If otherwise, what better pretext could we possibly need for developing those inhuman weapons than the current aggression by the region's only nuclear-armed regime?" he wrote in a post on X.

Araghchi said his country is acting strictly in self-defense and has so far retaliated only against Israel, not the countries allegedly supporting it.

“Just like (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu manufactured this war to destroy diplomacy, the world should be highly alarmed about increasing attempts by the failing Israeli regime to get others to bail it out and to expand the flames to the region and beyond,” he said.

He added that aside from Israel, Iran remains committed to diplomacy.

“With the exception of the illegitimate, genocidal and occupying Israeli regime, we remain committed to diplomacy,” he wrote. “As before, we are serious and forward-looking in our outlook.”

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.​​​​​​​

Meanwhile, in Iran, 585 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.