Iran tells Hatoyama it will not give up nuclear program

they turned it down because France is one of the countries that reneged.

No. They turned it down because Iran did not want to be monitored. France did not renege on anything.

I don't want anyone having nukes but if you are surrounded by nuclear powers, you better have them for defence.

Iran is not surrounded by nuclear powers. Iran is actively supporting, training and providing weapons to groups publicly and actively trying to destroy a sovreign nation. It surely is no wonder that country would not want Iran to get nuclear weapons. Heck, they are certainly not the only country in that region not wanting Iran to have them. Most of the countries in the region seem not to want Iran to get them. Glad to know you agree Iran wants them though.

My several contacts in Syria are pretty reliable and I don't listen to any paranoid people.

Yeah, sure. Those contacts you found on youtube, huh? I prefer straight news, thanks. If you are in fact listening to blogs and/or youtube videos made by random people on the net, it is pretty much assured you are getting your 'information' via the paranoid expressway instead of the information highway.

In all your words, I see nothing to lead me to believe you have any usual inside information. Sorry.

Ben... I remember when Iran was offered that and because it had to come through France, they turned it down because France is one of the countries that reneged. Some western countries are just not trustworthy. Did you see the Al Queda flags flying in Libya after that fiasco? I don't want anyone having nukes but if you are surrounded by nuclear powers, you better have them for defence. How about making the ME nuclear weapons free? One country says no of course. My several contacts in Syria are pretty reliable and I don't listen to any paranoid people. The facts and only the facts please. The power of the media, as you are showing, is very powerful indeed!

All Iranian nuclear and military sites should be bombed and the sooner the better. These idiots are no better to their own people than Bashar Assad to Syria.

There was a time when Iran only enriched to 5% (fuel for electricity). They needed enrichment to 20% for the medical field but they instead paid USA and others millions to have those countries supply their needs. Those countries reneged on agreements and even kept the money. Now, rightly, Iran will never trust them so they are enriching themselves to 20% to take care of their people. They have not gone further than 20%. You need 90% for a bomb and also if you want a nuclear powered submarine, for instance. The west knows these details and still they continue on their march to regime change. The one to not trust may be Israel. They may hold the "Samson Option" over the west's head. Are their nukes aimed at Europe and USA and that is why they have so much influence?

So would Iran get nukes. So what? How they can use it? They need ecological problems with radioactive material? I sure that they not need nukes, but may be they need demonstrate that they need it. USA and Iran are play the game for expensive cost of oil.

I hope they don't get nukes. It's going to be a serious problem for the Middle East. Iran's government structure makes it difficult to guarantee that the technology will stay within their borders, the surrounding neighbors will most likely go nuclear, and we'll most likely see an increase in conventional warfare in the region with their nuclear shield. Iran is already supplying weapons and money to Hamas and Hezbollah, and the weapons being used against Americans and Europeans in Afghanistan is straight off the Iranian assembly lines. They've expanded their war to such countries as Thailand and have shown no hesitation at all in putting sniper bullets into the heads of their own people. They lead holocaust denial conferences and openly call for the end of Israel.

All of that plus nukes will be a net negative for the world.

Iran has threatened another sovereign nation. Iran trains, supports and gives weapons to groups that have as their goal the destruction of another sovereign nation. Iran has been in violation of IAEA rules. Iran has been offered the chance and support to create nuclear power provided they summit to inspections while doing so. They refused. It is quite clear Iran's only goal is not nuclear power. Anyway, with all that we have seen in Japan, why would we want another questionable country getting its hands on such power? Just because others have it? Does not seem worth the risk to me.

anti-semitism, Holocaust denial

Albeit, unknowingly, you sir have hit the proverbial nail smack dab on its head.

Well said Stu - and Ivan!

A former Japanese prime minister ain't got no juice.

Any current Japanese PM has no juice!

As someone else said, Hatoyama isn't there about nukes, he's there to kiss butt so Japan can have oil. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Former PM Yukio Hatoyama's trip, represents, above all, a new channel of dialogue, despite by-passing the 'official channel' suggested by Messrs. Noda & Gemba -- implying that Japan should follow instruction from the U.S. & do nothing else but keep waiting. While the public opinion tends to presume he would be returning to Japan empty handed, never mind, let him try it out, no apparent risk anyway.

Before the presidential election, the President Barack Obama would unlikely engage a real war with Iran ( sanctions -- with or without effect -- will be fine just to portray himself as a strong leader..that is ).

What on earth is Hatoyama doing going overseas to represent Japan in talks?

Hes not representing Japan in any official capacity, but I wonder if he might be representing Japanese oil companies desperate for Iranian oil supplies. Also, lets not be naive about "interfering in other countries` affairs". Dictatorship regimes like those in Iran (which has a mere facade of democratic elections) and North Korea are an extreme threat to world peace because circumstances exist where these countries would actually consider using these terrible weapons. These "governments" realize that having nuclear weapons capable of striking Western Europe will be invaluable in keeping themselves in power. Iran could have nuclear power without the capabilities for making nuclear weapons, but it has refused to go down this peaceful path for obvious reasons.

And Hatoyama tells Iran that it 'can't' give up its Nuclear reactors too....

...and nuclear umbrella as well !

Someone said no country can tell another what to do I say yeah sure So what America is been doing for centuries??? Ah?

Their nuclear program will be welcome when their enrichment facilities are fully open - or, better, when the scrap those facilities and procure enriched uranium instead. This is what will most likely happen: it will save face for Iran and remove the threat of uranium enriched to weapons-grade material. Let's hope they take this step during their upcoming talks this summer.

What on earth is Hatoyama doing going overseas to represent Japan in talks? What would have been awesome is if the Iranian representative winked at him and said, "Trust me" and explained it wouldn't be a problem.

I don't understand why Hatoyama is very eager to visit such hot countries like Iran and N-korea. No matter which countries he visits, he cannot have any influence than ever before....

And Hatoyama tells Iran that it 'can't' give up its Nuclear reactors too....

When materialism was as its peak , it had managed to ensnare man with earthly desires and it had resulted in two soulless and cruel systems known as Marxism and Capitalism (which might seem to be different from each other but are indeed one and the same) intent on plundering and looting the cultures and wealth of other nations. At a time like this, the movement of the Iranian nation was more like a cry coming from the bottom of heart and led to an explosion of light in the whole world.

I think Mahmoud needs to hire new writer for his blog. This one tries to warn us about something.

Likewise, other nations have NO right to dictate to other nations.

There I disagree. All nations' nuclear programs should abide by international rules, regulations and inspections. My problem with Iran is not that they want NPPs, its that they are trying to skirt the rules and regulations and inspections.

As for nuclear weapons, Iran should given promises and support to allieviate their desire for them. Instead, they just seem to be getting shaking fists. Iran has Russia to the north, China to the east, Pakistan and India to the south-east, Israel to the west, and they all have nuclear weapons. American troops just left Iraq on one side of Iran, and are still running amok in Afghanistan on the other side. Iran's desire for nuclear weapons is totally understandable, but our desire to see Iran not so armed is even more understandable.

Iran needs to be reassured, while still being inspected and told no. But it seems all the world does is condemn Iran and its not productive.

Finally, some people are seeing the fact that sovereign countries have the right to do within their borders as they deem appropriate, peacefully. Likewise, other nations have NO right to dictate to other nations. And as previous poster Gerald stated, I also oppose ANY nation have nuclear or other mass murder weapons, least of all any nation with a history of using such weapons as an aggressor against other nations OR invading other nations. Even the rogue nation NK has such weapons(courtesy of ... perhaps their only ally).

Iran has the same rights to defend themself as the usa

Shhh! Neversubmit! Don't say such things!

My feelings exactly. Who is Japan, the US... to tell people who can and can't have - more so when many of those telling countries they can't have something/do something do/have it themselves.

Yet another issue that thorium would solve. Let Iran make their reactors thorium, they won't get any by-products useful for warheads out if it.

No country can tell another country what it can and can not do within its own borders. I'm very much against any weapons but when other countries have nuclear bombs who are we to deny Iran the rights to defend themselves?

How come some countries can use Nuclear Energy and others can't. It's blatantly unfair.

No worries, there are no earthquakes in Iran or anyone in the Iranian government seeking to acquire nuclear bombs.

I hope Iran can get its head out from where the sun don"t shine ASAP IMHO!

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda also expressed concerns over Hatoyama’s visit from the viewpoint of consistency with the government’s efforts of international coordination, Japanese media reported.

So was right Gemba?

Guarantee you that before this year is out America and/or Isreal will be in a war with Iran....

Par for course. Iran won't change its stance on this issue!