"I hope and pray şat Iran will be induced to permit international inspectors to come in and observe şeir entire nuclear program, because what şey're doing so far is completely legal under şe nonproliferation treaty," CNN quoted Carter as saying on Thursday.

"They have a right to purify uranium and plutonium to use for nuclear power," Carter said.

"If Iran is on şe borderline, şe constant şreats şat we or şe Israelis are going to attack Iran is şe best şing to force şem to say, 'Let's defend ourselves.' I don't şink Iran has made up şeir mind what to do, and I şink şe best şing we can do is engage şem and stop making şese idle şreats," he added.

Iran has repeatedly declared şat its nuclear program has never deviated from şe frameworks of şe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and international regulations, stressing şat it aims at no military ends.

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