UN nuclear experts arrived in Tehran in a push to probe Iranian nuclear sites suspected of making atomic weapons. Prior to the visit, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a legally binding decree calling the building of such weapons a “sin.” A fatwa, or religious decree, issued by Iran's supreme leader prohibiting the assembly of nuclear weapons is legally binding for the government, Iran's Foreign Ministry said ahead of possible progress in talks over the country's nuclear program. Western governments and international agencies including the International Atomic Energy Agency accuse Iran of developing weapons of mass destruction. The agency demands access to the Parchin military base southeast of Tehran in order to inspect it. Washington and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge, saying that as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency it is entitled to develop nuclear technology strictly for peaceful purposes.
