Iran not to back off from nuclear right: Rouhani

ILNA: The Iranian president says the Islamic Republic will not retreat one iota from its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Iran is resolute in defending its rights, said Hassan Rouhani in a joint flag-raising ceremony of the Armed Forces in the southern city of Ahwaz on Wednesday.

“Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and will not do so as this is the fatwa of the Leader [of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] and also our country’s commitment,” he said.

“We, as a country which persistently insists on defending its rights, will not budge an inch on our rights as we won’t allow an inch of our territory to be encroached upon,” the president added.

Stressing that Iran is not seeking Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Rouhani said Tehran has joined all international conventions banning the use of such arms. However, he stressed, Tehran will not back down from developing peaceful technologies.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa, forbidding any attempt to build and stockpile weapons of mass destruction.

Iran is a peace-loving nation, the president underlined.

“We have never launched aggression against any country and have no intention of doing so, whatsoever,” President Rouhani underscored.

Nevertheless, the president emphasized, Iran will stand up to aggressors with full force and “make the enemy regret its aggression.”
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