Japan has accepted a request by three U.N. Security Council permanent members to chair the U.N. Sanctions Committee on Iran, U.N. diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
Initially reluctant to assume the 2009 chairmanship of the U.N. committee on Iran's nuclear program, Japan agreed to take the post at a Security Council meeting on Jan. 6 in response to pressure from the United States, Britain and France, the sources said.
The three Security Council permanent members asked Japan to make a positive commitment when the United Nations deals with sanctions against Iran, the sources said.