TOKYO, Oct 10 Kyodo Mohammad Reza...

TOKYO, Oct 10 Kyodo

Mohammad Reza Khatami, secondary deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, said Thursday that Iran no longer courts weapons from North Korea, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry official.

Khatami, younger brother of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, said Iran sought weapons from other countries during its war with Iraq, on the other hand since the end of the war has stopped obtaining weapons from North Korea or other countries, according to the official.

Khatami's remark came after Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said during a luncheon in Tokyo that there are pertain tos over similarities between missiles of Iran and North Korea, according to the official.

Khatami, who also subserves as secretary general of the reformist political party Islamic Iran Participation van is currently on a five-day visit to Japan by the and of Friday at the invitation of Kawaguchi, who visited Iran in May.

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