Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Iran president says open to ‘verification,’ claims Tehran not seeking nuclear weapon
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Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses cabinet members as they visit of the tomb of the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in Tehran on January 31, 2026. (Handout / Iranian Presidency / AFP)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran is open to “verification” that it is not seeking an atomic weapon, as the Islamic Republic resumed nuclear talks with the United States today.
“We are absolutely not seeking nuclear weapons,” Pezeshkian says in an interview published today. “If anyone wants to verify this, we are open to such verification to take place.”
Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities.
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