A UN spokesman has denied recent Western media reports about the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accusing Iran of using international talks as a cover to build a nuclear bomb.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Martin Nesirky, said in response to a question posed by IRNA that the statements made by the UN chief in The Washington Post interview were misinterpreted and were in fact about North Korea and not Iran.

Last week, the paper quoted the UN chief as saying that Iran would “use talks [with the world powers] as a cover to build a bomb,” and the UN Security Council must “show a firm, decisive and effective, quick response.”

"He did not say that,” Nesirky said when asked about Ban's interview.

When asked whether he was totally denying the report, Nesirky responded "No," But "that was not the exact quotation from what the Secretary-General has said."

    "The Secretary-General believes that the way to solve this difficulty is through negotiations, through dialogue. Such talks are going to take place later this month in Kazakhstan (on February 26)… ," Nesirky added.

Asked why the UN chief linked Iran’s peaceful nuclear program to North Korea's nuclear bombs, Nesirky, said "I would not over-interpret this.... The Secretary-General is simply pointing out the need for there to be accelerated progress in the talks, and another round of talks is to take place.”

Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers -- including China, Russia, France, Britain, and the US plus Germany -- are scheduled to resume their talks in the Kazakh city of Almaty on February 26. The last round of the negotiations was held in Moscow in June 2012.

On Friday Feb. 16, the Iranian Ambassador to the UN said in a letter to Ban that it was “unfortunate” that he had adopted a stance “in contradiction to his duties and against international principles” on the nature of Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy activities.

The United States, the Israeli regime and some of their allies falsely accuse Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran vehemently rejects the allegation and argues that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Source: PressTV