Iran Needs No Nuclear Weapons Insists President
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says nuclear enrichment is peaceful.
The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reassured the US that his country has no need for nuclear weapons, but refused to give up on obtaining a nuclear energy programme.
In an interview with American news network NBC Mr Ahmadinejad said that acquiring nuclear weapons was “not a part of our programmes and plans,” reported the BBC. Iran’s recently re-elected president vowed that his nation would not bow to pressures from outside influences in the UN, American and European governments to abandon a nuclear programme.
Mr Ahmadinejad said that Iran was perfectly capable of defending herself without the need of nuclear armament. Western sources insist that Tehran is enriching uranium to make weapons-grade nuclear material, an issue which is due to be discussed in detail at UN talks in October.
The president maintained however that the nuclear enrichment in Tehran was not a cause for international concern: “It you are talking about the enrichment of uranium for peaceful purposes, this will never be closed down here in Iran,” he said in his interview with NBC.
Mr Ahmadinejad was officially re-elected on 13 June 2009 declaring a 62 per cent majority in an election that nearly 85 per cent of the population turned out to vote. His opponents claimed the vote had been rigged however, causing days of protests on the streets and civil unrest.
Reports emerged today that the leader of the opposition Mir Hossein Mousavi was attacked in Tehran in the midst of a political rally for Quds Day. Thousands have taken to the streets in protest against the government which has seen at least 30 people killed in the last four months.
