In remarks to India Today on Sep. 14 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected claims propagated by the United States that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, stressing the Islamic Republic’s commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its readiness for dialogue within the framework of international law. Pezeshkian said Iran would not have joined the NPT if it had sought nuclear weapons

According to a summary of his remarks released by the Iranian presidency, Pezeshkian stressed that Tehran remains committed to the NPT and international law. He said Iran had accepted extensive inspections and remains prepared for dialogue within international legal frameworks. He described claims about an Iranian nuclear weapons program as pretexts for military action.