The USG Open Source Center monitored Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s speech at the christening of an Iranian destroyer, Jamaran, on Iranian official radio, in which Khamenei again denied that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and affirmed that they are illegal in Islamic law because they kill large numbers of innocent non-combatants.
“Khamene’i Denies Iran Seeking Nuclear Weapons
Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1
Friday, February 19, 2010 …
Document Type: OSC Summary …
Tehran Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1 in Persian in its 1030 GMT newscast on 19 February broadcast a report on the acceptance ceremony for the Iranian navy’s new destroyer, Jamaran, which was attended by Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamene’i. The announcer-read report said Khamene’i delivered an address in which he stressed that Iran is not seeking an atomic bomb.
The announcer quoted Khamene’i as saying: “The old and idle talk about Iran making atomic bombs shows that even in terms of propaganda the enemies of the nation have resorted to repeating themselves out of sheer weakness.”
He was also quoted as saying Iran would not become emotional in response to such “nonsense.”
The announcer further quoted him as saying: “We have said repeatedly that our religious beliefs and principles prohibit such weapons as they are the symbol of destruction of generations. And for this reason we do not believe in weapons and atomic bombs and do not seek them.”
According to the announcer, in another part of his speech Khamene’i referred to claims by the US and other Western countries about Iran’s actions against its neighbors, saying: “Our neighbors know that such claims are lies. By creating discord, America and Israel are trying to divert the attention of the Islamic ummah from its main enemies, namely America and Israel.” “
End/ (Not Continued)
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