Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 23
By Fatih Karimov- Trend:
Japan has expressed readiness to transfer nuclear technology to Iran, Reza Nazar-Ahari, the Islamic Republic's ambassador to Japan said.
Last month, Iranian and Japanese foreign ministers agreed to cooperate in nuclear issues, Nazar-Ahari said, adding Tokyo has also expressed readiness to supply Iran with nuclear power plants in the long-term, ISNA news agency reported Nov. 23.
Last month, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida voiced his country's willingness to cooperate with Iran on nuclear safety issues, as well as assist in implementing the nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and world powers July 14.
Early in November head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi also paid a visit to Japan to discuss mutual cooperation in areas of nuclear safety.
In recent months, nuclear delegations from both countries have held several meetings on nuclear cooperation, including nuclear safety.
Nazar-Ahari further said that Iran and Japan can also cooperate in the fields of anti-earthquake architecture and protecting nuclear power plants against natural disasters.
The two countries can also cooperate in environment, health, sanitation and railroad issues, the ambassador added.
In recent months the officials from both sides are working on a document for supporting mutual investment which is expected to be signed in the new future, he said.
Japan is determined to enter Iran's market, Nazar-Ahari said, adding the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has Iran's visit on his agenda once the international situation is normalized.
The ambassador also stressed that Iran's geopolitical situation can turn it into a place for joint production by Iran and Japan.
The two countries can export their joint products to the regional markets via Iran, he added.
The volume of Iran-Japan trade stood at about $2.5 billion before imposition of sanctions against Tehran due to its disputed nuclear program, but fell to $ 240 million in later years.
Head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Valiollah Afkhamirad earlier said that the volume of trade between Iran and Japan has fallen in the past years and has slumped to less than 10 percent in non-oil sectors, which is too low to meet the two countries' needs.
The official noted that Iran is ready for joint investment with Japan in such fields as oil, gas and petrochemical industry, mineral industries, automobile manufacturing, and nanotechnology after sanctions imposed on Iran are removed.