Japan official: US should accept Iran as region-Asia great power

Tokyo, March 11, IRNA – Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of Japan's House of Councillors Kazuya Shimba said on Tuesday the US should recognize Iran as a great power not in the Middle East region but also in Asia.

In his meeting with Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Director General for East Asia and the Pacific Nematollah Izadi, Shimba said the US administration should take practical measures to fulfill its pledge, referring to Obama’s election campaign slogan of “change”.

Pointing out the friendly and historical ties between Tehran and Tokyo, the Japanese official called for further boosting of bilateral cooperation.

Shimba said his country has allocated four percent of its foreign trade exchange to Iran and it attaches importance to the purchase of Iranian crude oil.

Izadi, meanwhile, said the 80-year old ties between the two countries provide a good opportunity for all-out expansion of bilateral ties.

He added the two states have potentials for holding meetings on various cultural issues, as well.

Referring to the propaganda against Iran made by certain western countries, Izadi said Iran is a major regional power without which some world and regional problems cannot be solved./end