Japan called on Iran on Thursday to reach an agreement with European countries in negotiations over its nuclear programs during a series of talks in Tokyo among top officials, Kyodo News reported.

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura urged Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh to "patiently" continue the talks with Britain, France and Germany toward an agreement, Kyodo said.

Aminzadeh, who is in Japan for regular vice-ministerial talks with Japan, was quoted as saying Iran hopes that it can reach a conclusion with the three European countries so that both sides would be "winners."

Iran and the three countries have been discussing since December how to reward Tehran for suspending its all nuclear enrichment programs. Iran agreed to the suspension the previous month.

But the talks have become bogged down as Iran has recently expressed a desire to resume part of its uranium enrichment programs for peaceful purposes.

Aminzadeh also met with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka, who expressed concern about Iran's move toward possible resumption of the uranium programs.

Aminzadeh signaled that it would be difficult for Iran to immediately accept the European demand as it calls for a complete dismantling of the uranium programs including peaceful ones, according to Kyodo.

Tanaka expressed hope that foreign ministerial talks among Iran and the three European countries planned for next week will lead to progress over the issue, the news agency said.

Source: Xinhua