Ex-Iranian leader says no room for nukes

TEHRAN, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Iran is ready to prove in talks that military weapons have no room in the nation's nuclear program, the former Iranian president said Friday.

Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said in his second Friday sermon to large groups of worshippers in Tehran that, "We do not wish to divert our nuclear program toward the military side," the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"If you have good intention towards talks, so do not seek pretexts," he said. "Talks should be long, constant and logical, while being free of any threat, intimidation and warning so that we can reach a point that is fact.

"I tell you for sure that in Iran's nuclear program there is no room for manufacture of military weapons."