Pezeshkian rejects US nuclear charge, says ‘enrichment’ was an alibi to attack Iran

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected allegations that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons, saying claims about Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme were used as a pretext for the US-Israel offensive against the country. In an exclusive interview with India Today Group Editor (Foreign Affairs) Geeta Mohan, Pezeshkian said Iran’s nuclear activities had been carried out within international rules and that Tehran remained open to negotiations under the NPT.

Pezeshkian said Iran’s membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was evidence of its position and questioned the basis for the allegations against Tehran.

“If we were seeking nuclear weapons, we wouldn't have become a member of NPT. Now they are bringing about alibis and pretexts to attack our soil,” Pezeshkian said.

He maintained that Iran’s nuclear programme had been subject to extensive monitoring and that Tehran had operated within international principles.

“They exercise the greatest amount of monitoring regarding nuclear activities in Iran on a daily basis. They came and monitored, but we did everything and worked within the framework of international principles,” he said.

‘It is lies they are propagating’

The Iranian president also questioned what concrete evidence the US and Israel had to support their claims about Iran’s nuclear activities.

“It is lies they are propagating,” Pezeshkian said, describing the allegations as propaganda being used against Tehran.

He said Iran was prepared to resume negotiations on the nuclear issue within the framework of the NPT and internationally recognised principles. However, he ruled out an immediate return to direct talks with the US, citing a severe loss of trust between the two sides.

Iran-US trust deficit

Pezeshkian said direct talks with US President Donald Trump would be difficult at present, particularly following the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the conflict.

He said the killing on the first day of the war, which began on February 28, had created a deep problem of trust and made it difficult for Iranian society to simply return to negotiations with Washington.

“The atmosphere of trust should be established again,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Tehran needed assurances that the US would honour its commitments.

The Iranian president also referred to earlier negotiations, saying Iran had been engaged in talks when the conflict began and later returned to the negotiating table. He claimed the two sides had been close to an agreement before the US again attacked Iran.

According to Pezeshkian, Tehran subsequently reached an understanding and signed a memorandum of understanding, but the US later abandoned it.

Tehran calls for sanctions relief

Pezeshkian said Iran’s position remained that sanctions should be lifted and the US should stop attacking Iran.

He also questioned why Israel’s nuclear capabilities were not subjected to similar international scrutiny, while rejecting allegations that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons.

Pezeshkian further argued that Iran’s opposition to Israel and its support for Palestinians were being used as additional pretexts to target Tehran.

“They are telling the world that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Are we seeking nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, or are they actually killing people in Lebanon and Gaza on a daily basis? But unfortunately, the world is looking at their beautiful appearance, and they are telling the truth,” he said.

Pezeshkian maintained that Iran was not seeking war but would respond to attacks against it.