Iran's UN ambassador called nuclear weapons the greatest threat to present and future generations on Monday, just days before Teheran resumes talks with six world powers aimed at reining in its suspected nuclear program.

Mohammad Khazaee told a meeting of the General Assembly's disarmament committee that "the total elimination of these inhuman weapons is the only absolute guarantee against their threat or use."

The election of President Hassan Rouhani, viewed as a moderate, has led to a revival of talks in Geneva aimed at allaying Western fears that the real aim of Iran's nuclear enrichment program is producing nuclear weapons, not nuclear energy and medical isotopes as it claims.

For years, Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is purely peaceful, and that it opposes nuclear weapons, but Khazaee's comments were especially strong.

"Before they consume us all together, we must consume them all together," he said. "This is not an option but a must."

Khazaee told the committee, "We need to invest further political will to achieve a nuclear weapon-free world at the earliest date."

Associated Press