Geneva: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized Iran's longstanding opposition to developing nuclear weapons, citing a religious decree issued by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian's statement comes as Iran prepares for a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Geneva.

According to National news agency - Lebanon, President Pezeshkian highlighted Ayatollah Khamenei's fatwa that bans weapons of mass destruction, underscoring that this decree clearly indicates Tehran's commitment against pursuing nuclear arms. The discussions in Geneva occur amid heightened tensions, as US President Donald Trump has threatened military action if a nuclear agreement is not achieved. In his State of the Union address, Trump urged Tehran to make a formal pledge against acquiring nuclear weapons.

Ayatollah Khamenei's fatwa, issued in the early 2000s, serves as a religious and political guideline for Iran's nuclear policy, with Khamenei holding the ultimate authority over the country's nuclear agenda. Despite external pressures, Iran has consistently denied ambitions to obtain nuclear weapons, aligning its nuclear activities within the framework of the Supreme Leader's directive.