Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, which its supreme leader had banned in an edict, adding on Twitter that U.S. policies were hurting the Iranian people and causing regional tensions.

"Ayatollah (Ali) @khamenei_ir long ago said we're not seeking nuclear weapons—by issuing a fatwa (edict) banning them," Zarif said in a tweet. "(U.S.) Economic Terrorism is hurting the Iranian people and causing tension in the region."