Iran 'not afraid' to make nuclear weapons

Tehran TV quotes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying Islamic Republic could manufacture atom bombs 'but does not intend to'

Associated Press |Published: 06.23.11 , 12:23

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that the Islamic Republic is not afraid of manufacturing nuclear weapons but does not intend to do so.

Tehran's state television quoted Ahmadinejad as saying: "If we do want to make a bomb, we are not afraid of anybody."

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Iran has long insisted that its nuclear programs are peaceful and were meant only to generate power for a future nuclear reactor network.

The West believes Iran's claims are dubious as best. The UN Security Council has passed four sets of sanctions against Iran for refusing to freeze its nuclear activities, which it believes could be used in a weapons program.

The UN said Iran also blocked an

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) probe into allegations of secret experiments that could reflect attempts to develop an arms program.