TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s meeting shows determination by both sides to deepen ties, Al Mayadeen has said in a commentary, ISNA reported on Tuesday.

Rouhani met with Abe in Tokyo on December 20. Rouhani was accompanied by a senior political and economic delegation in his tour of Japan.

Rouhani and Abe have met a couple of times over the past years “which shows that both sides are serious about deepening and strengthening bilateral ties and are making efforts to remove impediments on path of relations,” the TV channel said.

It said that Japan is one of the most important economic partners of Iran.

The two countries have not hidden their “good” and “positive” relationship despite pressure by the United States, Al Mayadeen added.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who accompanied President Hassan Rouhani to Japan, has said that Iran is aiming to strengthen its relationship with Japan, and keep all channels open, the NHK said in a report on its website on Saturday.

Araghchi also announced on Saturday that Tehran and Tokyo are resolved to continue their consultations over key international and regional issues more closely than ever.

Araqchi, who served as Tehran’s ambassador to Tokyo in the second half of the 2000s, said Iran has been continuously holding diplomatic talks with Japan but consultations between the countries are now of paramount importance as Iran has come under “unfair pressures and sanctions” by the United States.

“We have always had close diplomatic consultations with Japan. This year, due to the current developments, including the U.S. unfair pressures and sanctions on Iran, it was necessary to hold closer and tighter talks with Japan which are an old trade partner of Iran,” the deputy foreign minister remarked.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed the “substantive, friendly and frank” summit between Rouhani and Abe, saying the meeting aimed to strengthen ties between the two countries.

“Substantive, friendly and frank summit between President @HassanRouhani and Prime Minister @AbeShizo: further strengthening bilateral, regional and global cooperation,” Zarif tweeted on December 20.

Following his meeting with Abe, Rouhani tweeted on Friday: “I welcome any effort that could boost economic exchanges, especially in the energy sector, and increase oil exports.”

During his meeting with Abe, Rouhani said that he hopes Japan and other countries in the world will work hard to help preserve the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the JCPOA.

Abe, for his part, said, “Japan would like to do its utmost to ease tensions and stabilize the situation in the Middle East.”

“As for Iran, I strongly hope the country will fully implement the nuclear agreement and play a constructive role for peace and stability in the region,” the Japanese prime minister noted.

NA/PA