Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there is no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, disputing recent US claims about Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Speaking on Friday, March 3, Lavrov said proof that Iran pursued nuclear weapons has not been presented, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS.
“We still do not see evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, and that was the main, if not the only justification for the war,” Lavrov said.
He added that both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and what he described as US intelligence professionals had previously indicated that Iran had not produced nuclear weapons.
Lavrov’s remarks came after US special envoy Steve Witkoff said Iranian negotiators had acknowledged possessing significant stockpiles of enriched uranium.
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff said that during indirect talks earlier this year, Iranian representatives stated that Tehran controls 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, which he said would be sufficient to produce 11 nuclear warheads.
The United States maintains that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. Tehran has repeatedly said it does not seek to develop them, while defending its right to enrich uranium.
The comments come days after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which Washington said were aimed at preventing Tehran from advancing toward a nuclear weapons capability.