TEHRAN Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Mohammadi refuted the mischevious claim made by the Zionist regime's prime minister that an Israeli merchant has sold chemical weapons to Iran. The foreign ministry spokesman condemned the spread of rumors by top ranking Zionist officials and said that simultaneous with successful efforts made by the Islamic Republic of Iran in censuring Israel for posing a nuclear threat, such fabrications are put forward by Israel. Mohammadi added that Islamic Republic of Iran is seriously pursuing efforts aimed at keeping the Middle East free of nuclear weapons and believes the security of the region lay in bridling the atomic efforts of the Zionist regime.

The spokesman quoted Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as saying in Geneva that Israel cannot justify its illegal occupation of Arab lands even with the force of nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its call for a control of the International Agency of Nuclear Energy over the nuclear installations of the Zionist regime.