Japan urges Iran to give up nuclear work

AFP: Japan on Friday urged Iran not to carry out its threats to resume sensitive nuclear work Tehran had stopped as part of a deal last year with the European Union.
“Japan strongly calls on Iran to withdraw its decision to
resume uranium conversion activities,” a foreign ministry statement said, urging Iran to fulfill resolutions of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). AFP

TOKYO – Japan on Friday urged Iran not to carry out its threats to resume sensitive nuclear work Tehran had stopped as part of a deal last year with the European Union.

“Japan strongly calls on Iran to withdraw its decision to resume uranium conversion activities,” a foreign ministry statement said, urging Iran to fulfill resolutions of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Iran said Thursday it would resume within one or two days the conversion work, the first phase in enriching uranium into fuel that can be used in civilian nuclear reactors or atomic bombs.

The European Union, which had reached an agreement with Iran in November to stop the sensitive operation, said Friday that Tehran could develop its nuclear program as long as it is clearly for civilian and not military use.

Japan counts on Iran for 16 percent of its oil and has maintained warm relations with the Islamic republic despite an embargo by the United States, Tokyo’s main ally.

Japan’s appeal came on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing in Hiroshima which killed more than 140,000 people.