NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump has declared that he will never allow Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons, reiterating Washington’s tough stance on Tehran’s nuclear programme in his address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Trump said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a clear priority for the United States, stressing that Washington would maintain its position on the issue and would not compromise on preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear capability.

Referring to US military operations against Iran’s nuclear programme, the US president claimed that the strikes had inflicted severe damage on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Trump also indicated that the door to negotiations and a possible agreement with Iran remained open. However, he made clear that the United States would not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Iran’s nuclear programme has remained a major source of tension between Washington and Tehran for years. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes and has denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons.