Iran says to host int'l conference on nuclear weapons

TEHRAN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said Sunday that Iran will host an international conference on the fight against weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, in April or May.

Mehman-Parast said the conference is aimed to express Tehran's willingness to annihilate all kinds of weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons throughout the globe, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

Iran has invited scholars and experts of various countries to participate in the event, said Mehman-Parast.

Such a move is another step by the Islamic Republic towards fighting against production and proliferation of nuclear weapons, he said.

Meanwhile, local satellite Press TV quoted Mehman-Parast as saying that "We believe if those countries that have concerns about the use of nuclear weapons demonstrate a realistic commitment to disarmament, we would witness a world void of nuclear weapons."

The remarks of Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman came amid Western accusations that Iran is covertly building nuclear weapons, but Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and aims to generate electricity for civilian use.