Iran’s Rouhani dismisses nuclear weapons fears
QuestCinq.com/News
–Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani has said that his country will never build nuclear weapons.
Mr Rouhani also told US broadcaster NBC he had full authority to negotiate with the West over Tehran’s controversial uranium enrichment programme.
And he described a recent letter sent to him by US President Barack Obama as “positive and constructive”.
Earlier, Iran freed noted human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and reportedly released 10 other political prisoners.
The 10 other detainees – seven women and three men – are said to include reformist politician Mohsen Aminzadeh.
“We have time and again said that under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, nor will we ever”
In his election campaign earlier this year, Mr Rouhani promised to free political prisoners. He also pledged a more moderate and open approach in international affairs.
He is due to visit New York next week for a meeting of the UN General Assembly.
The BBC’s Iran correspondent James Reynolds says Mr Rouhani’s interview shows the importance to his government of reconciliation with Washington.
Iran is under UN and Western sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme. It says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes but the US and its allies suspect Iran’s leaders of trying to built a nuclear weapon.
In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News in Tehran, Mr Rouhani said Iran had “never pursued or sought a nuclear bomb and we are not going to do so”.
Source:BBC
