Rafsanjani says Iran has never been seeking to produce nuclear weapons

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has reiterated Tehran’s position that Iran has “never been seeking to produce nuclear weapons” and said certain European countries are making a “great mistake” by attempting to make the world suspicious about the Islamic Republic.

Rafsanjani, the Expediency Council chairman, made the remarks during a meeting with new Spanish Ambassador Pedro Antonio Villena Perez in Tehran on Monday.

“European countries are making a great mistake by increasing suspicion about the Islamic Republic of Iran on the international stage, and we hope that your country, as a member of the European Union, will take effective steps to help correct the mistakes and (remove) the suspicion,” Rafsanjani told the Spanish ambassador.

Commenting on the nuclear dispute between Iran and the West, Rafsanjani said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never been seeking to produce nuclear weapons.”

Iran is a “peace-loving” country, the former president said, adding, “Today, nuclear weapons have lost their deterrence capability, and the use of them by any country will have severe and irreparable repercussions for other nations and future generations.”

On the relationship between Iran and Spain, the Expediency Council chairman stated that ties between the two countries are “developing”.

The Spanish ambassador stated that Tehran-Madrid relations have developed despite the existing problems between Iran and the EU.