Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, as it is prohibited by the country's religious authorities, official representative of the Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baghaee commented on the proposal of Iranian MP Mohammad Qasim Osmani to create an atomic bomb to ensure "equality" in talks with the West, TASS reports.
"Iran will never, under any circumstances, take the path of developing nuclear weapons. This is an integral part of our fatwa-based strategy of the Supreme Leader [ayatollah Ali Khamenei]. I believe that there is no doubt about this issue," the diplomat said at a weekly briefing.
The development of nuclear weapons in the Islamic Republic is officially prohibited by Khamenei's 2003 decree.
Baghaee said reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirm the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program.
"Back in 1984, more than forty years ago, the leadership of the Zionist regime (Israel - TASS) for the first time said that Iran is developing a dangerous military component of its nuclear program. These allegations were initially aimed at creating anti-Iranian sentiment and restricting Iran's technological and industrial progress," Baghaee added. He also called the statements about Tehran's development of a nuclear bomb conjecture.
On April 6, Osmani, speaking about the "need" to create nuclear weapons, argued that Iran was "left with no choice," and only through nuclear deterrence would it be able to protect national security.
