MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Iran has never had any secret program to obtain nuclear weapons, says a release circulated by the Iranian Embassy in Russia.
"Moreover, nuclear weapons do not figure in Iran's defense doctrine. Iran believes that nuclear energy must be used exclusively for peaceful purposes, for implementing large-scale economic and social programs, and for the sake of enhancing the Iranian people's living standards," the embassy said.
It said that the Iranian Foreign Ministry's deputy general director for political and international issues, Mr.Sultaniye, reaffirmed this position at Moscow's Carnegie Center.
"Speaking about the history of the development of nuclear power engineering in Iran, Mr. Sultaniye said in clear terms at Moscow's Carnegie Center on November 2 that, "the Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and is strictly observing its obligations on peaceful uses of atomic energy," the Iranian embassy said.
It said, "Iran's activities are under the International Atomic Energy Agency's control. Iran is acting this way to demonstrate to the world public that it is fully observing the Additional Protocol to the Treaty which has not yet gone through inner confirmation procedures."