Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeated that his country has no interest in building nuclear bombs, but that possessing nuclear technology is its legal right.

Ayatollah Khamenei told thousands of worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran that Western nations are trying to mislead public opinion with accusations that Tehran is seeking to build nuclear weapons.

He said Iran only seeks to generate nuclear power for electricity. The Europeans have offered to sell Iran nuclear fuel, but Ayatollah Khamenei rejected that, saying it would mean Iranian dependence on foreign powers.

The Europeans have been conducting negotiations with Iran in hopes of persuading Tehran to permanently halt their uranium enrichment activities in exchange for a package of political and economic incentives.