Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied his country was pursuing nuclear weapons as the United States continues to build up its military forces in the region. Responding to President Donald Trump’s demand for Iran to abandon its ambitions for nuclear weapons, Araghchi insisted that Tehran had no such ambitions. “At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL—on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation—which ensures Iran’s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS,” he said. “Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them.”Araghchi has in the past repeatedly referenced Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s fatwa against nuclear weapons, put forward in 2003, effectively banning the development and use of nuclear weapons. Trump previously pledged to strike Iran if its security forces opened fire on protesters.