Tehran, Karafarinane Eghtesad – Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has said Iran has repeatedly proven that it is determined to defend its national interests and security and will not haste to respond to any threat and pressure with maximum resistance.

Addressing recent comments by US President Donald Trump on Iran, Baghaei said the claims about Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons unfounded and have been repeatedly proven wrong, and it is easily verifiable if one seeks confidence in the matter, he added on Wednesday in response to an Karafarinane Eghtesad reporter's question.

He noted that, unlike the Israeli regime, which has explicitly threatened to use nuclear weapons in the war against the people of Gaza, Iran is a member of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its nuclear program is under full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and based on Safeguards Agreement.

Baghaei stressed that Iran's opposition to weapons of mass destruction is rooted in Islamic teachings and human reasons, supported by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's fatwa (religious ruling).

Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei rejected the claims on Iran's attempt to assassinate US officials, saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its right to pursue a legal process for achieving justice regarding the assassination of national champions and senior officials to achieve results in domestic and international courts. He was referring to the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020, at the direct order of US President Donald Trump.

Trump signed an executive order to restore a campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran that he had once launched in his first term.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office as he signed the order, and shortly before he held a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump claimed he had been hesitant about the action.

“So, this is one that I’m torn about,” the U.S. president said, referring to the order. “Everybody wants me to sign it. I’ll do that. It’s very tough on Iran.”

Then he claimed the United States wanted to make a deal with Iran.

Trump said he was “unhappy” to sign the order but that he had “not so much choice because we have to be strong and firm.”

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