‘We have no intention of building a bomb’: Pezeshkian says ready to guarantee no nuke weapons. But there’s a condition

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday (June 21) that Tehran is prepared to provide written assurances that it is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but will not give up what it considers its right to enrich uranium, as negotiations with the US continue. Speaking ahead of a new round of talks between Iranian and US negotiators in Switzerland, Pezeshkian said Iran's position on uranium enrichment remained unchanged despite the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries.

"What the United States demands is that Iran not build an atomic bomb. This is nothing new, and we can also state in writing that we have no intention of building a bomb," Pezeshkian said, according to remarks published on the Iranian president's official website. However, he stressed that Tehran would not abandon its enrichment programme.

"We will not relinquish our right to enrichment, and the other side will have no choice but to accept this right," he said. Pezeshkian also defended the preliminary agreement reached between Tehran and Washington, arguing that its provisions were favourable to Iran and that the benefits of the negotiations would become clearer over time.

According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, the president said the memorandum of understanding contained provisions that would benefit Tehran, including the return of Iranian funds currently held abroad. "All provisions of the memorandum of understanding are in our favour, and the achievements of these talks and negotiations will become evident," he said.

Pezeshkian added that $6 billion in Iranian funds currently held in Qatar would be returned under the agreement. "Our $6bn in Qatar will be returned," he said.