Iranian ambassador to Japan Peiman Seadat has urged Tokyo to stand against U.S. and Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities in his nation after President Donald Trump's remark likening the U.S. attacks to the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The ambassador said in a recent interview with Kyodo News that the comment is an "insult" not only to Iran, but also to Japan, the world's only country to have suffered atomic bombings.
Japan should raise a "very loud voice," Seadat said, adding that Japan's voice is "important" to the international community.
The interview was held after the United States, Japan's close ally, bombarded key Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday. Israel and Iran had been engaged in a tit-for-tat conflict following Israeli airstrikes on military and nuclear targets on June 13 before announcing a cease-fire on Tuesday.
Trump said Wednesday during his visit to the Netherlands for a NATO summit, "I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing. That ended that war."
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in a statement Monday that Japan "understands" the U.S. military action as a demonstration of its resolve to de-escalate the situation while preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Stability in the Middle East is vital for resource-poor Japan, given its heavy dependence on the region for crude oil, and it has traditionally maintained friendly ties with Iran.
Seadat criticized Trump's reference to the atomic bombings on the two Japanese cities in the closing days of World War II as an "outrageous" and "irresponsible" statement showing "total disregard for human suffering."
The envoy said the U.S. attacks on the nuclear sites deserve "global condemnation," calling them "acts of aggression" committed in violation of international law.
He also said that "forcing peace is not peace," in reference to Trump's comment on his Truth Social media site that "Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region."
The U.S. military action right in the middle of nuclear negotiations was an act of "betrayal by the Trump administration," Seadat said.
© KYODO
26 Comments
HopeSpringsEternal
Yikes, asking Japan to take a stand against Iran's illegal nuclear weapons proliferation and weapon's program?
Iran was caught by the IAEA in MAY this year, enriching uranium far beyond the levels they agreed to abide by
HopeSpringsEternal
Never hurts to ask, but Iran's very isolated, as their Suni Arab Gulf State Neighbors steering well clear, while busy investing record amounts ($5.1Trillion) in the US, and expanding the US military presence in their countries.
Russia and China have offered just symbolic support, nothing tangible, meanwhile, even Iran's many proxy groups are strangely silent.
Japan's certainly not going to side with Iran and their illegal nuclear weapons program, threatening the entire world with existential proliferation, etc.
Blacklabel
Iran expects Japan to take their side? Talk about delusional.
JD
Look like an opportunity to switch over and buy oil from the USA. Buying oil from Iran does not look very good for Japan when it approaches the US to negotiate the tariffs.
wallace
To put it into perspective, Iran only greatly increased its uranium enrichment from 6% to 60% after Trump cancelled the nuclear deal and refused to lift sanctions.
American oil and Iranian oil are different types.
" American oil, particularly from the Permian Basin, is known for being "light and sweet," meaning it has a low sulfur content and a lower density, making it ideal for producing gasoline. Iranian oil, on the other hand, is often "heavy and sour," meaning it has a higher sulfur content and density, requiring different refining processes. "
Hervé L'Eisa
Delusional indeed! The guy's gotta ask or the Grand Arshollah will have him beheaded.
Jim
The days of America becoming a similar place has already began. The arrest of its own citizens ( born to parents who are legal citizens ) who are on their way to or returning from work by ice just because they look Hispanic, shooting of television news reporters on the streets by the police, shooting of innocent bystanders by the volunteer peacekeepers ( who are just a mob style group with guns ), arrest of legal American citizens whose children are all US military officers, law enforcement not identifying themselves and just arresting people for looking Hispanic or Asian, ( I strongly support removable of criminals who are in America illegally but ICE is targeting all and everyone who isn’t white ), women’s right to choose for their own body is being stripped away in Republican states through abortion bans so much that even rape victims can’t do abortion, LGBTQ rights are being violated openly under Trump administration policies one by one. America is becoming like Nazi run Germany under Hitler when his Gestapos used to do this.
iraira
So, we can only choose (A) you are with us, or (B) you are against us? Is this the official MAGA platform?
All social and political issues are a lot more complicated than this and there are clearly multiple solutions or options to consider or enact as policy.
u_s__reamer
Yikes, asking Japan to take a stand against Iran's illegal nuclear weapons proliferation and weapon's program?
Heck, the Japanese government has never even taken a stand against Israel's illegal nuclear BOMBS, and besides, the Iranians are now asking for support from oil-poor folks they have over a literal barrel.
OssanAmerica
Not going to happen Mr Ambassador. Japan needs US support in confronting North Korea's nuclear buildup. Japan is not going to go against the US in favor of Japan.
Besides, the world is aware of Iran and North Korea's relationship with repect to ballistic missile development and possibly nuclear as well.
Five Families
Strike three. Then don’t do it. But you did it. Had to say it.
As of today, I can no longer support Donald Trump.
I won’t even get into all the reasons why. Just know this: I’m still a Republican — that part won’t change.
I’m reminded of a moment from the year 2000, when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Some of you may have been there too.
There was an exhibit with wax figures — haunting and unforgettable — depicting Japanese civilians with their skin melting from their bodies, fleeing toward the Motoyasu River. That river, which now flows peacefully through the park, once served as a desperate escape for those seeking relief from the intense heat. Many died there — from their injuries, from drowning, or surrounded by debris and the bodies of others.
It’s a memory that never left me. And now, because of that comment, it came rushing back.
I will be patient — but I can no longer support this administration. I don’t care that the economy is strong, or that the stock market is up, or that there are signs of progress.
He is simply too insensitive. Too polarizing.
ClippetyClop
He's clearly been a crook, conman, liar and racist for decades.
Why did it take you so long to see that?
HopeSpringsEternal
Japan's Govt. recognizes Iran's nuclear program was buried under mountains, heavily militarized, far away from population centers requiring electricity from normal civilian nuclear facilities, because it was a weapons program
bass4funk
That is your right. Some people decide not to support him, I know people who hated the guy and now deeply support him, the beautiful thing is, all of us have a choice in a democracy the way it should be, I admire the man deeply, some don’t. it’s good and healthy to have various opinions
wallace
bass4funk
Posters, even the Americans who do not support Trump and his policies, do not make them anti-US.
There is Iran and its government. Then there are the citizens. Many of them are good people.
GuruMick
Again, all the anti Iran commentators have never been to Iran , never read on Iran, never met an Iranian BUT all are experts in this collective "hatred " of Iran
Again , can anybody download a youtuber in Iran, with zero to prove , just travelling and examining Iran
These people are just like us,]
For Gods sake seek some non MAGA, non neocon views
The Usa has a long history in wanting to overthrow Iran because it i s rich in oil
Has America got a monopoly on stupidity.?
USA devolving into the anti commie fiends from the 60.s and 70.s
bass4funk
I never said nor implied that it did.
Well, of course.
Sadly, thank our public education for that.
John
Instead of spending all the oil money for their own pockets, it would help if they spend some of it for the air defense, science and technology. Iran is the victim of corruption and corrupt leadership. It should be a rich country with decent defense system, not like a poor primitive village.
1glenn
Read a good article on the personality disorder called psychopathy in the latest Scientific America. It quickly became apparent that our president checks every single box of a psychopath, and it helps to explain his behavior.
The psychopath enjoys inflicting pain on others, and belittling them. Lying to achieve something he wants bothers him not in the list. He demonstrates a lack of empathy and remorse, and is impulsive, manipulative, and deceitful. He lacks a conscience, and gets into relationships only to use other people.
rivx
A terrorist state is asking for help from Japan?
Raw Beer
Yeah, Iran has a large and thriving Jewish community, despite the narrative that Iranians are crazy fanatics who want to kill all Jews.
iraira
The estimates are about 9,000-10,000 Jews living in Iran in 2025. It was over 100,000 before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
wallace
When Israel attacked the homes of the Iranian nuclear scientists, they also killed their entire families, including the wives and children. That is not acceptable.
rivx
Oooh a negative reaction on me stating that Iran is a terrorist state? Didn’t hit a nerve somewhere lol
itsonlyrocknroll
The last place Japan government, it people need to be embroiled, politically in is the middle east conflict at any level.
Concentrate of domestic regional policy priorities.
Bret T
irairaToday 05:39 pm JST
So, we can only choose (A) you are with us, or (B) you are against us? Is this the official MAGA platform?
All social and political issues are a lot more complicated than this and there are clearly multiple solutions or options to consider or enact as policy.
Please read the article. The topic at hand is about whether Japan wants to side with Iran regarding the air strikes on its nuclear weapons production facilities.