The use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons is "haram," or strictly forbidden by Islam, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said today in the strongest rejection yet of allegations that the Islamic republic is seeking to develop atomic weapons.
"We consider using biological, chemical and nuclear weapons as an act of haram," Kharazi told MPs in a parliamentary question session focussed on international tensions surrounding Iran's atomic programme.
"We have no nuclear weapons programme and we have said this frankly and clearly so many times. We have a security doctrine that is without nuclear weapons. We only use nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes," Kharazi said.
The comments came a day after inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Iran on a prearranged visit amid charges that Tehran had failed to honor its nuclear safeguards agreement.
According to an IAEA report filed to member states ahead of a Vienna meeting on June 16, Iran was found to have violated the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but was taking steps to correct the problem.
The United States, which has accused Iran of using civil atomic energy programmes as a cover to develop nuclear weapons, said the findings by the IAEA were "deeply troubling" and a cause for world alarm.
Iran is set to express its position on the IAEA report at the Vienna meeting.
AFP