Tokyo, May 24: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was considering to pay an official visit to Iran as early in mid-June, state-run NHK national television reported on Friday, as international concerns grow over rising tensions between the United States and Iran.
According to Reuters news reports, the news comes after a week of an official visit by Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Japan, during which he held meetings with the Japanese prime minister and Taro Kono, Japan’s foreign minister. Since 1978, none of the Japanese prime ministers have visited Iran.
State-run NHK reported Abe is expected to discuss his potential Iran visit with United States President Donald Trump when the president will pay an official visit to Japan on Saturday, and thus the final decision may rest over the outcomes of the meeting.
During Zarif’s visit to Japan, the foreign minister has stated Iran remained committed to its appliance under the international nuclear deal, International Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, despite Washington’s withdrawal from the landmark pact. Zarif has described the reimposition of US sanctions “unacceptable”.
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