Jan 22, 2022, 02:49 am
Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi told the Russian parliament on Thursday his country was not seeking to get nuclear weapons.
In a speech at the State Duma, Raisi said Iran was serious about reaching an agreement to limit its nuclear program, but would not agree to anything less than its "rights".
"We are not after nuclear weapons, and such weapons have no place in our defensive strategy," he added.
Russia has actively taken part in international talks in Vienna aimed at salvaging Iran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The United States withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, while President Joe Biden wants to rejoin the deal.
"We can bring these talks to a successful conclusion and address the core concerns of all sides. But time is running out," Biden said, adding that "if a deal is not reached in the coming weeks, Iran's ongoing nuclear advances, which resumed after we withdrew from the agreement, will make it impossible for us to return to the JCPOA."
The 2015 agreement was intended to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme in return for loosened economic sanctions.
Raisi, who is in Moscow for an official visit, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.
https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/21/iran...ssian-duma
In a speech at the State Duma, Raisi said Iran was serious about reaching an agreement to limit its nuclear program, but would not agree to anything less than its "rights".
"We are not after nuclear weapons, and such weapons have no place in our defensive strategy," he added.
Russia has actively taken part in international talks in Vienna aimed at salvaging Iran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The United States withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, while President Joe Biden wants to rejoin the deal.
"We can bring these talks to a successful conclusion and address the core concerns of all sides. But time is running out," Biden said, adding that "if a deal is not reached in the coming weeks, Iran's ongoing nuclear advances, which resumed after we withdrew from the agreement, will make it impossible for us to return to the JCPOA."
The 2015 agreement was intended to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme in return for loosened economic sanctions.
Raisi, who is in Moscow for an official visit, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.
https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/21/iran...ssian-duma