UNITED NATIONS, September 23. /TASS/. No one wants more nuclear powers to emerge in the world and Moscow believes that since Iran will not have nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia won’t be tempted to obtain them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In response to a TASS request to comment on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s statement that the kingdom would seek nuclear weapons if Iran developed them, Lavrov noted that he took it as "a statement of fact." "No one wants more nuclear countries to emerge in the world. The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly confirmed that it does not have such plans. Their spiritual leader even issued a fatwa on the matter," the top Russian diplomat emphasized. "This is why we believe that since they will not have a nuclear bomb, Iran’s neighbors will not be tempted to take that path," he added.

The Saudi crown prince noted in an interview with the US TV channel Fox News that Riyadh was "concerned if any country getting a nuclear weapon: that's a bad move."

The New York Times reported earlier that Mohammed bin Salman was "asking the Biden administration to help his country develop a civilian nuclear program, which some US officials fear could be cover for a nuclear weapons program to counter Iran.".