President says Iran seeks nuclear energy, not weapons, as conflict with Israel escalates

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran has no plans to develop nuclear weapons but will continue to exercise its right to nuclear energy, as tensions with Israel enter their fourth day.

Speaking in parliament, Pezeshkian said, "they are sitting and saying that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons, while we have no intention of obtaining these weapons at all," addressing accusations from Israel and Western countries that Tehran seeks nuclear arms, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

He emphasized, "We have the right to benefit from nuclear energy and research that benefits this society, and no one has the right to take this right." While Tehran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, UN inspectors have been unable to verify this claim. The US and European nations have accused Iran of enriching uranium close to weapons-grade levels.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking for the first time since the recent outbreak of conflict, said, "We were engaged in negotiations and encountered aggression during the diplomatic process."

He added, “With this action of the Zionist regime, which we cannot imagine without the support of America, they practically made the negotiation process meaningless.” 

The US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018, which had limited Iran’s uranium enrichment. Since April, the two countries have conducted five rounds of talks to revive the deal, with a sixth round cancelled due to rising hostilities. 

Israel launched a surprise strike on Iran on June 13, sparking the most intense confrontation between the two nations to date and raising fears of a broader Middle Eastern conflict. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa. Israel asserts its strikes targeted military and nuclear sites, eliminating several senior commanders and scientists. 

Pezeshkian responded, “Does the scientist of this country have a gun in his hand and a bomb? If we did not have these missiles now, Israel would easily hit wherever it wanted every day.” According to a senior US official, President Donald Trump urged Israel to halt plans to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that regime change in Iran could be a potential outcome of their military actions. 

Calling for national unity, Pezeshkian urged Iranians to put aside their differences amid the crisis: “Every difference, issue, and problem that has existed must be put aside today and we must stand strong against this genocidal criminal aggression with unity and coherence.”

Iranian officials have emphasized diplomatic efforts despite Israel’s preference for military measures and US threats of consequences if nuclear talks fail. They also stressed that any Israeli attack would not occur without US knowledge and support.

By Naila Huseynova