Despite having nuclear technology, Iran has never pursued building or using nuclear weapons, which its religion forbids, the country's highest political authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday.
Addressing scientists and engineers in Tehran, he said, "Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong and using it is haram (religiously forbidden) ... Although we have nuclear technology, Iran has firmly avoided it," State TV quoted him as saying.
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"We intend also in the future to avoid developing such means and focus on nuclear technologies for civilian purposes only," he said.
Khamenei further called on the scientists not to despair from the country's dire economic situation and promised Iran's scientific community would collaborate with those of other countries.
The relatively conciliatory remarks marked a change in tone and were widely covered by Iranian media outlets, possibly in an effort to send a message to American and European leaders ahead of possible talks to renegotiate the 2015 nuclear deal.
Just last month, Tehran warned that US bases in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar were within reach of Iranian missiles, should Washington act to strike the Shiite regime.
