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TOKYO: A top US official said Friday Japan has a very critical role to play in international efforts to limit Irans nuclear ambitions as the West pitches new sanctions against Tehran, reports AFP.
Japan which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil and, unlike its chief ally the United States, maintains relatively cordial ties with Iran next month takes the rotating chair of the UN Security Council.
US Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg, after a lengthy meeting with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, said they had focused particularly on Iran, which Western powers suspect is seeking a nuclear weapon.
Japan plays a very critical role on this question, said Steinberg. Its a leader and a very strong voice in supporting a non-proliferation regime with a very strong commitment to dealing with the challenge of nuclear weapons.
Japan the only country to have been hit with atomic bombs, in the US attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II has long promoted efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama last week told Irans parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani to remove all the doubts about Irans nuclear development.
Steinberg said Japan is very influential with Iranians and can have a very big impact and added that he was grateful for the strong statements they made during a recent visit by Iranian officials here.
He stressed that Tehran faces a fundamental choice and that the international community now expects Iran to take unequivocal steps to come into compliance with its international obligations.
Washington plans a vote on new sanctions in April and apparently wanted to secure Tokyos support as it will be chair of the council at that time, before Lebanon takes its turn in May, the influential Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported.
Iran, which maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, has ignored three rounds of Security Council sanctions and refuses to halt uranium enrichment, which the West sees as a cover to build nuclear weapons.
DAWN.COM | World | US sees ?critical role? for Japan on Iran
Japan which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil and, unlike its chief ally the United States, maintains relatively cordial ties with Iran next month takes the rotating chair of the UN Security Council.
US Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg, after a lengthy meeting with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, said they had focused particularly on Iran, which Western powers suspect is seeking a nuclear weapon.
Japan plays a very critical role on this question, said Steinberg. Its a leader and a very strong voice in supporting a non-proliferation regime with a very strong commitment to dealing with the challenge of nuclear weapons.
Japan the only country to have been hit with atomic bombs, in the US attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II has long promoted efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama last week told Irans parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani to remove all the doubts about Irans nuclear development.
Steinberg said Japan is very influential with Iranians and can have a very big impact and added that he was grateful for the strong statements they made during a recent visit by Iranian officials here.
He stressed that Tehran faces a fundamental choice and that the international community now expects Iran to take unequivocal steps to come into compliance with its international obligations.
Washington plans a vote on new sanctions in April and apparently wanted to secure Tokyos support as it will be chair of the council at that time, before Lebanon takes its turn in May, the influential Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported.
Iran, which maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, has ignored three rounds of Security Council sanctions and refuses to halt uranium enrichment, which the West sees as a cover to build nuclear weapons.
DAWN.COM | World | US sees ?critical role? for Japan on Iran
