Iran's ambassador to France said Israel's attempts to persuade the world that Iran is close to making nuclear bombs are "in vain" and the international community is well aware that the "propaganda" campaign is baseless.
Ali Ahani made the remarks at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday, in which he answered questions about the latest developments in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and world powers over Tehran's nuclear program, IRNA reported.
"Despite the unfounded propaganda exercise by the Zionist regime, Iran has never sought to make bombs and does not believe nuclear weapons can be used as a deterrent to help increase the country's security," he said, adding the Islamic Republic, as a committed member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has always maintained good cooperation with the organization.
Ahani said Iran's collaboration with the IAEA signifies Tehran's goodwill and its commitment to its promises, saying IAEA reports have confirmed the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities.
He said the international community has acknowledged that Iran, as one of the first countries that signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968, is not in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Instead Tehran has always advocated the establishment of a Middle East free from nuclear weapons, he noted. Rejecting the claim that Tehran accepted to negotiate with world powers in an attempt to get rid of sanctions, the envoy said Iran had started negotiations over its nuclear program in 2003, even before the most severe sanctions were put in place.
Ahani described the presence of the foreign ministers of the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) at the negotiation table as an indication of the significance of reaching a final accord to resolve Iran's nuclear issue.
Expressing optimism about the chances of clinching a final agreement, he said since the Lausanne statement outlining the key parameters of a long-term settlement was issued in early April, all parties have seriously engaged in paving the way for a final pact.
He underlined the significance of keeping the talks going and said any interruption or failure in the course of talks would be in the interest of none of the involved parties.
