05:29*RESTRICTIONS: NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran/Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International TV*
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country was developing its atomic programme 'not for making nuclear weapons', speaking at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Monday.
The statement comes as concerns have been growing of Iran's enrichment of uranium in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
"We can enrich uranium up to 20 per cent. And you saw that the twelfth government has enriched uranium up to 63 per cent for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And if we someday need a higher level of enrichment, we will do a higher level of uranium enrichment on that same day and hour. But at the same time, we are not looking for nuclear weapons," said Rouhani.
He added that the development of weapons of mass destruction goes against the principles of the Islamic Republic and the wishes of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iranian President also said Tehran was looking to continue negotiations on the 2015 agreement.
The comments come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the Biden administration will look to keep strict sanctions on Iran amid fears of nuclear proliferation even if the US rejoins the agreement.
Iran: Tehran's atomic power not for making nuclear arms, says Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country was developing its atomic programme 'not for making nuclear weapons', speaking at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Monday.
The statement comes as concerns have been growing of Iran's enrichment of uranium in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
"We can enrich uranium up to 20 per cent. And you saw that the twelfth government has enriched uranium up to 63 per cent for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And if we someday need a higher level of enrichment, we will do a higher level of uranium enrichment on that same day and hour. But at the same time, we are not looking for nuclear weapons," said Rouhani.
He added that the development of weapons of mass destruction goes against the principles of the Islamic Republic and the wishes of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iranian President also said Tehran was looking to continue negotiations on the 2015 agreement.
The comments come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the Biden administration will look to keep strict sanctions on Iran amid fears of nuclear proliferation even if the US rejoins the agreement.
*RESTRICTIONS: NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran/Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International TV*
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country was developing its atomic programme 'not for making nuclear weapons', speaking at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Monday.
The statement comes as concerns have been growing of Iran's enrichment of uranium in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
"We can enrich uranium up to 20 per cent. And you saw that the twelfth government has enriched uranium up to 63 per cent for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And if we someday need a higher level of enrichment, we will do a higher level of uranium enrichment on that same day and hour. But at the same time, we are not looking for nuclear weapons," said Rouhani.
He added that the development of weapons of mass destruction goes against the principles of the Islamic Republic and the wishes of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iranian President also said Tehran was looking to continue negotiations on the 2015 agreement.
The comments come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the Biden administration will look to keep strict sanctions on Iran amid fears of nuclear proliferation even if the US rejoins the agreement.