U.S. extends Iran sanctions waivers to Japan, 10 EU countries

The United States has extended for six months waivers on Iran sanctions to Japan and 10 countries of the European Union in exchange for their reduced petroleum purchases from the Islamic republic, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday.            

The sanctions aim to choke funding to Iran's disputed nuclear program by reducing the country's oil sales, its main source of income.

Separately, the European Union's foreign policy chief said earlier she will meet Iran's newly appointed negotiator on the country's disputed nuclear program later this month.              

A spokesman said Friday Catherine Ashton called Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and they agreed to meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.                 

Iran's new president Hasan Rouhani confirmed Thursday that Zarif  a Western-educated diplomat will lead nuclear talks with world powers, marking a shift away from the often more hawkish security officials who have previously set the negotiation strategy.             

Ashton is part of the negotiations between the permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany with Iran on the nuclear program.                

Western governments maintain Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons but Tehran insists its program serves only civilian purposes.


AP/REUTERS