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Olmert calls for Iran sanctions

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called yesterday for new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear drive as he started a rare visit to Japan, which maintains trade ties with the Islamic republic.

Olmert is the first Israeli prime minister since 1997 to visit Japan and his visit is largely aimed at stepping up business with the world's second largest economy.

Olmert traveled to Tokyo ahead of a meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council -- the UK, China, France, Russia and the US -- along with Germany on possibly stepping up sanctions on Iran.

"I hope that further sanctions will be taken against Iran," Olmert told reporters on his plane as he arrived for the four-day stay that will include talks with his counterpart Yasuo Fukuda and an audience with Emperor Akihito.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday in its latest report that it had made "quite good progress" in its four year-probe into the Iranian nuclear drive.

But crucially, the nuclear watchdog headed by Mohamed ElBaradei said it was still not in a position to determine if Iran's nuclear drive was peaceful.

"The ElBaradei report shows that Iran is pursuing its nuclear program. If the report had been drafted by Israel, it would have been much clearer," Olmert said.

"The basic fact doesn't change. There is a plan to make non-conventional weapons and it must be stopped," he said.

Japan has maintained cordial ties with Iran both before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which transformed Tehran from one of the Israel's closest friends to a vociferous foe.

Japan is dependent on the Middle East for nearly all of its oil. Tokyo has taken a lower profile than its Western allies in pressuring on its nuclear drive, although in 2006 pulled out of a project to develop Iran's largest onshore oil field.

Olmert suggested a link, which has been alleged before, between Iran and Japan's arch-rival North Korea, which tested an atom bomb in 2006.

"Iran is the epitome of recklessness, of extremity, of irresponsibility on the highest political level," Olmert told Japanese public broadcaster NHK ahead of his visit.

"And I think North Korea as well. The combination of these two together is certainly dangerous for the stability of the region," he said.
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