Ayotollah denies Iran aiding Iraq

TEHRAN, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani, leading Friday prayers in Tehran, vigorously denied Iranian involvement in the Iraq war.

Kashani said accusations that Iran supplied Iraq with weapons that killed U.S. forces constituted "a lie."

"Iran does not intend to access atomic weapons," the Iranian Republic News Agency quoted him as saying. The ayotallah said reports from U.N. inspectors prove that.

"Nuclear weapons do not bring power. Based on Islam, people and their support will bring strength," Kashani said.