(IRNA) - Members of the visiting Japanese parliamentarian delegation met Wednesday with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and discussed political, cultural and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Referring to the age-old historical relations and cultural and economic interactions between Iran and Japan, Mottaki stressed that Japan is a staunch ally to Iran in bilateral and international arenas, reports Trend.
He pointed out Middle East recent developments and Israeli assaults on Lebanon and expressed surprise over the double standards of the United Nations and its failure in creating global peace and stability.
"The United Nations Security Council has remained silent against atrocities of the Israeli regime since 29 days ago," he said.
Referring to the US-France draft resolution to the Security Council, he said the Lebanese government has rejected the biased draft.
"Such a double standard of the UN Security Council can also be witnessed about Iran's nuclear case," he said.
Mottaki elaborated that the United States is trying to deprive Iran of its right to peaceful nuclear power.
He further said that the recent UN Security Council resolution against Iran is illegal and cannot be regarded as the vote of the whole international community.
The visiting Japanese delegation stressed the expansion of ties and said that Japanese companies are close partners of Iranian enterprises.
Head of the delegation said that the development of bilateral ties in cultural, economic and political sectors is of much importance to the people of Japan.
"We hope to expand these relations more than before," he said.
Turning to recent developments in the Middle East and bitter incidents in Lebanon, he said, "We are concerned over the situation in Lebanon and we hope a ceasefire will be established as soon as possible."
On Iran's nuclear case, he hoped for the settlement of the issue through diplomacy and negotiations.