Japan has distanced itself from suggestions that its reliance on Iranian oil is affecting its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.
A delegation from the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) is in Iran to discuss expanding commercial and trade relations between the two countries.
Ali-Naqi Khamushi, chairman of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines, told Jetro chairman Osamu Watanabe at a meeting in Tehran on Monday that the two countries needed to ensure that disruptions caused by political events did not affect economic ties.
The United States' ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, recently told the Asahi newspaper that Tehran's 'very savvy use' of its oil and gas resources was influencing Japan to drag its feet in the campaign to stop Iran enriching uranium.
Mr Bolton also questioned Japan's extensive investment in the development of Iran's Azadegan oilfield.
'Iran is very cynically using the reliance of Japan on Iran for oil - the possibility of the Azadegan oilfield and other things - to try to back Japan away from its very principled commitment to non-proliferation,' he said.
'When you're looking at a country ruled by a man like [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, who threatens to wipe Israel off the map and who is pursuing nuclear weapons, it is just good due diligence to say, 'Is this a country we want to invest in?''
