Tehran may sign a written pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons as talks with the US begin in Switzerland.
TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran might be ready to sign a written declaration that it will not pursue a nuclear weapon in the future, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
“If necessary, we can set out in writing that we do not intend to build a nuclear bomb,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Sunday.
He did not say whether this option is part of talks between Iranian and United States (US) representatives which began in Switzerland on Sunday as both sides seek to hammer out a long-term peace deal after signing a memorandum of understanding earlier this week.
Under the terms of the framework agreement, a final deal is to be reached within 60 days on Iran’s nuclear programme, a major sticking point in negotiations so far.
Pezeshkian reiterated that former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed by US-Israeli strikes at the start of the conflict, had rejected the development of weapons of mass destruction on religious grounds.
The political leadership of the Islamic Republic consistently maintains that it does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons.
Pezeshkian expressed confidence regarding the negotiations with the US, describing the agreements reached so far as “largely in Iran’s interests.”
As a first step, US$6 billion in Iranian assets that have been frozen by the US in Qatar could be released, the president said.
(Bernama-dpa)
