Tehran, Jan 9 (IANS)

 Iran wants Japan to help it build nuclear power plants, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said.

The official said he believed Iran and Japan could work together to build facilities that generate electricity, Xinhua reported. 

The Japanese leaders are aware of the idea, and it will become one of the key issues linking the two countries, he added. 

Iran has also offered Russia to jointly construct nuclear power plants in the littoral Persian Gulf region.

Last September, Iran took over control of its first Bushehr nuclear power plant from Russia. The construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant had begun in 1975 by several German companies. However, work was halted when the US imposed an embargo on hi-tech supplies to Iran after the 1979 revolution. 

In 1998, Russia signed a contract with Iran to complete the construction of the plant.

By:IANS