the Iranian president says the Islamic Republic will not retreat one iota from its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Iran is resolute in defending its rights, said Hassan Rouhani in a joint flag-hoisting ceremony of the Armed Forces in the southern city of Ahvaz, Press TV reported.

“Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and will not do so as this is the fatwa of the Leader [of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] and also our country’s commitment,” he said.
“We, as a country which is persistent in defending its rights, will not budge an inch on our rights as we won’t allow an inch of our territory to be encroached upon,” the president added.

Stressing that Iran is not seeking weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Rouhani said Tehran has joined all international conventions banning the use of such arms. However, he stressed, Tehran will not back down from developing peaceful technologies.

Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a fatwa, forbidding any attempt to build and stockpile weapons of mass destruction.

Iran is a peace-loving nation, the president underlined.

“We have never launched aggression against any country and have no intention of doing so, whatsoever,” President Rouhani underscored.

Nevertheless, the president emphasized, Iran will stand up to aggressors with full force and “make the enemy regret its aggression”.

Geneva Deal Defeats Unjust Sanctions

Elsewhere, President Rouhani said that the Geneva deal means breaking the barrier of unjust sanctions imposed on the peace-loving people of Iran.

Geneva deal has shown submission of the Western powers to the Iranian nation’s nuclear rights that means defeating the unjust sanctions imposed against the country.

Noting that implementation of the November 24 landmark agreement will start on January 20, the president said, “Geneva deal means the international community has recognized Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology which is the result of courage and efforts of young Iranian scientists.”
President Rouhani stressed that his government is committed to pursuing the rights and interests of the Iranian nation.

“We will determine our international relations based on national interests,” said the president.

No Ddiscrimination

In a meeting with the chiefs of tribes in the southwestern province of Khuzestan on Wednesday, President Rouhani said his government will not tolerate discrimination against the civil rights of tribal people and ethnic groups.

The president said given the high capacity of tribal people, they should be encouraged to participate in the development of the country.

No to Nukes

Addressing in a meeting with religious scholars and seminary students late, Rouhani said that the Islamic Republic is after nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and does not seek nuclear weapons.

“The Islamic Republic has never been after nuclear weapons, in no point in time has it been [after atomic weapons],” he said.

“All those [countries] that sought [nuclear] bombs did it secretly, and achieved it secretly,” the president said, adding that Iran would not be a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and would not allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its nuclear sites if it intended to develop nuclear bombs.

However, he said, the powerful Iranophobic propaganda by the West managed to present a false image of Iran.

President Rouhani said his administration has been seeking to counter Iranophobia by asserting to the world that “the Islamic Republic of Iran is after nuclear technology but not [nuclear] bombs”.

“This was the foundation for our negotiations with the P5+1 and the West and the world’s big powers,” he said.