Tokyo: Japan has hailed a deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey on Iran`s nuclear programme and agreed with the two countries to continue to closely consult on the matter following a US move to impose additional sanctions against Iran, the Japanese Foreign Ministry has said.
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada held separate teleconferences with his Turkish and Brazilian counterparts Ahmet Davutoglu and Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim and stressed the importance of implementing the new deal, in which Tehran agreed to send 1.2 tonnes of its low-enriched uranium stock to Turkey.
However, Okada pointed out that the situation remains serious as Iran continues its uranium enrichment to 20 percent purity, according to the ministry.
The US said it has presented to the UNSC a draft resolution to impose additional sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions, including conducting cargo inspections and slapping new restrictions on Tehran`s import of conventional arms.
Iran insists that it has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons and that its uranium enrichment program is strictly for peaceful purposes. But the United States and its allies suspect it is pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program that requires highly enriched uranium of over 90 percent purity.
PTI
