Iran says not seeking nuclear bombs, ready for peaceful deal with US

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, the country’s deputy foreign minister said Tuesday, stressing that Tehran aims to reach a peaceful nuclear agreement with the US.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Forum, Saeed Khatibzadeh emphasized that Tehran’s nuclear program is peaceful, based on Iran’s domestic capabilities.

“Nuclear weapons are not part of Iran’s program,” added Khatibzadeh, who also leads the Foreign Ministry’s Center for Public Diplomacy.

The senior Iranian diplomat, however, accused Washington of sending “contradictory messages about Iran’s nuclear negotiations through third parties.”

Khatibzadeh said reaching an agreement with the US is only possible within the directives of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has consistently insisted on dialogue based on mutual respect between the two sides.

Iran will not compromise on its national security issues, he stressed.

His remarks come as Iran and the US remain at an impasse over resuming indirect nuclear diplomacy, which was disrupted after Israeli attacks in mid-June. The attack took place just two days before the scheduled sixth round of Iran-US indirect nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman.

Iranian officials blamed the US for the Israeli attacks, which sparked a 12-day war between the two arch-foes, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities in Iran, including senior commanders.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran’s ties with the US are defined by “long historical experience,” echoing Ayatollah Khamenei’s recent speech.

“Some suggest Iran should take unilateral ‘bold steps’ while ignoring America’s aggression and regional conduct, but this is incorrect. The US attacked Iran, boasts about it, and then claims readiness for negotiations,” he said.

Iran maintains that it continues to uphold its nuclear obligations as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and defends its 60 percent uranium enrichment. The UN nuclear agency and Western countries, however, have raised questions over it.