Iran supreme leader urges nuclear energy progress amid talks

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader vowed on Thursday that his country would ramp up development of its civilian nuclear program, as major world powers continued delicate talks in Vienna to revive Tehran’s landmark nuclear deal. In a televised speech Thursday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the importance of nuclear energy for Iran, while again asserting that it had no interest in nuclear weapons. Khamenei’s remarks seemed clearly aimed at the countries involved in the Vienna talks. The accord, which former President Donald Trump abandoned nearly four years, granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its atomic program.