Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the Islamic republic wants Japan to help build nuclear plants in the country, Tehran Times daily reported on Wednesday.

Araqchi said he believes Iran and Japan can work together to build facilities that generate electricity, according to the report. The Japanese leaders are aware of the idea, and it will become one of the key issues linking the two countries, Araqchi was quoted as saying.

Iran has also offered Russia to jointly construct nuclear power plants in the littoral Persian Gulf region.

On September 23, Iran took over control of its first Bushehr nuclear power plant from Russia. The construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant had begun in 1975 by several German companies. However, work was halted when the United States imposed an embargo on hi-tech supplies to Iran after the 1979 revolution.

In 1998, Russia signed a contract with Iran to complete the construction of the plant.