Iran sees ˈno benefitˈ in nuclear weapon: FM

Tehran, July 13, IRNA – Iran sees ˈno benefitˈ in developing a nuclear weapon, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said in an interview with the NBC TV.

ˈI will commit to everything and anything that would provide credible assurances for the international community that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, because we are not,ˈ Zarif told NBCˈs ˈMeet the Pressˈ from Vienna, where the sixth round of Iran and G5+1 talks are underway.



Zarif rejected ˈcalculationsˈ suggesting Iran would seek to develop nuclear weapons to guard itself against its neighbors.



ˈWe need to go out of our way in order to convince our neighbors that we want to live in peace and tranquility with them,ˈ Zarif told David Gregory of NBC.



ˈThe politics of geography -- the fact that weˈre bigger, the fact that weˈre stronger, that weˈre more populous, the fact that we have a better technology, the fact that our human resources is by far more developed than most of our neighbors -- all of these provide us with inherent areas of strength that we donˈt need to augment with other capabilities.ˈ



Calling the principle of nuclear deterrence ˈsimply mad,ˈ the foreign minister insisted that Pakistan was not considered stronger than Iran simply because it has nuclear weapons.



ˈThe fact that everybody in the international community believes that mutual assured destruction -- that is the way the United States, Russia and others, seek peace and security through having the possibility of destroying each other 100 times over is simply mad,ˈ he added.



ˈI do not believe that you need to inculcate this mentality that nuclear weapons makes anybody safe. Have they made Pakistan safe? Have they made Israel safe? Have they made the United States safe? Have they made Russia safe? All these countries are susceptible,ˈ Zarif said.



ˈNow you have proof that nuclear weapons or no amount of military power makes you safe. So we need to live in a different paradigm. And thatˈs what we are calling for.ˈ