Khatami: Iran will never develop N-weapons

Reiterating that Iran has a right to pursue the nuclear energy programme for peaceful purposes, former Iran president Mohammed Khatami said the crisis over the issue should be solved through negotiations.

Answering a question at a programme in the city, Khatami said his country, a signatory of Non Proliferation Treaty NPT, did not violate any clause of the existing treaties in deciding to pursue a nuclear energy programme to meet its 8220;energy requirements8221;. 8220;Nuclear energy constitute 30 per cent of the energy needs of the countries like Switzerland and France. We have a huge reserve of oil and natural gas, but it won8217;t last long. Many countries in the world see fossil fuels as harmful and are looking for replacements. Nuclear energy is the most accessible form of energy. We must also make use wind and solar energy resources,8221; Khatami said.

Khatami categorically stated several times during his address that Iran would 8220;never ever develop nuclear weapon technology8221; and added that his country was always ready to give 8220;objective guarantee8221; on this.

To a question whether countries like Pakistan are cooperating with Iran on nuclear energy issue, Khatami said, 8220;Iran will never go for nuclear weapons. Weapons of mass destruction have never been our objective.8221; He added that Iran has talented scientists who can manage without outside help. He said the 8220;sensitive8221; region, which already has many issues like Iraq and Palestine, does not need another crisis.

Khatami also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later in the day.