In an open dialogue on Monday, Japan’s foreign minister expressed concerns over the nature of Iran’s uranium enrichment program in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, according to an official press release issued by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministers candidly broached the topic of Iran’s “nuclear issue”, with Japan’s representative asserting the nation’s support for the ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’ (JCPOA). The JCPOA, also known as Resolution 2231 (2015) or the “Iran Nuclear Deal”, is a deal brokered by the UN Security Council. Its aim is to limit Iran’s capacity to enrich nuclear materials, in return for the disruption of sanctions placed on it.
Iran’s foreign minister responded by stating that Iran is “pursuing the restoration of the JCPOA through negotiations”. The deal granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) permission to scrutinize Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, a stark 2023 report from the IAEA indicates that Iran ceased to uphold its obligations under the plan in February 2021.
Iranian UN delegates have previously posited that their country’s nuclear enrichment program is peaceful. They maintained that nuclear weapons hoarded by Israel posed a “grave threat to peace and security in the region” and act as an obstacle to the agreement’s objectives. The Japanese foreign minister also raised the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the meeting, encouraging their Iranian counterpart to meet the situation with a “constructive manner”.