Iran, once branded by the west as a part of an "axis of evil" along with North Korea over its nuclear program, criticized the nuclear test conducted Monday by Pyongyang.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said this while responding to a question during a press conference in capital Tehran.
"Iran basically opposes nuclear weapons and favors international efforts for global de-nuclearization," he told reporters.
Iran is facing the threat of a fifth round of sanctions from the U.N. Security Council to pressure it to stop enriching uranium. It is irked by the continuing interference by the west, demanding transparency of its nuclear activities.
Tehran denies that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, and insists that uranium-enrichment is meant for peaceful purposes.
Ahmmedinejad also denied that Iran had had any nuclear cooperation with North Korea, and added: "Iran's civil and nuclear program is developed depending solely on indigenous know-how and experts".
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