ALGIERS, Feb 16: British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said on Thursday there were strong suspicions that Iran was developing nuclear weapons.

“There are strong suspicions internationally that it may be seeking to use it nuclear programme in order to develop a weapons capability,” Mr Straw said during a press conference while on an official visit to Algeria.

“I have said before and I will say again: we do not have absolute proof, we do not have conclusive evidence of this. There are strong suspicions.”

Asked about comments made by French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy — who branded Iran’s nuclear programme for the first time Thursday as a ‘clandestine, military’ project – Mr Straw said his position was the same.

The French foreign ministry later softened its tone following sharp protests from Iran, eventually saying Tehran’s nuclear activities ‘raised doubts about their peaceful nature’.

Mr Straw said the French, British and German positions on Iran’s nuclear activities were aligned because the three nations had worked very closely together on the case.—AFP