Iran's Supreme Leader has called the United States "the world's only
atomic criminal" during Tehran's international nuclear conference.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused Washington of claiming to be
opposed to nuclear weapons but not taking steps to reduce its own
stockpile. He added producing nuclear weapons is forbidden under Iran's
religious law.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad opened the two-day summit
Saturday by calling for the United States to be suspended from the
International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear
watchdog agency. He said only countries that do not hold nuclear
weapons should review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Iranian government said officials from 60 countries are taking part in the conference.
Diplomats from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq on Saturday expressed support
for Iran's right to develop a nuclear program for peaceful purposes.
World powers believe Iran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies.
The United States is pushing for a fourth round of U.N. sanctions for Iran's disputed nuclear program.
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