Italy’s foreign minister says Iran pledged not to build nuclear weapons

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday that his Iranian counterpart had assured him Tehran would not build a nuclear weapon, describing such a guarantee as a fundamental condition for progress in the ongoing nuclear talks.

“Certainly this is not an easy negotiation. Guarantees are needed from Iran that it will not build a nuclear weapon. That is the conditio sine qua non, and Iran’s foreign minister assured me that it will not happen,” Tajani said, according to Italian news agency Adnkronos.

Tajani also expressed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, saying he hoped Tehran “does not make reckless decisions” on the matter.

Tajani added that the Italian government fully supports the Oman-led mediation and expressed hope that holding the fifth round of Iran–US nuclear negotiations in Rome signals a reduction in tensions.