*TEHRAN – Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday thathis country could have taken the step to develop nuclear weapons but willnot because their use is “haram”, or forbidden in Islam.*
“Although we could have taken steps on this path, based on Islamic rulingwe firmly and bravely said we won’t take this path,” Khamenei said.
“Both building and stockpiling it is wrong, as using it is haram,” he tolda group of academics in a video posted on his office’s Twitter account.
“If we had a nuclear weapon, it would have been obvious that it would havebeen impossible for us to use anywhere,” said the Iranian leader.
“Under Islamic principles it is definitely haram.”
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Iran vehemently denies having ever sought an atomic bomb and says itsnuclear programme is for peaceful energy production and medical purposesonly.
In May last year, President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the UnitedStates from a landmark 2015 deal that gave Iran relief from sanctions inreturn for curbs on its nuclear programme. -APP/AFP
