TEHRAN - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that Japan still supports the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the JCPOA.

During a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tokyo, Abe said that Japan will continue playing its diplomatic role in preserving the JCPOA.

Araqchi also submitted a written message from President Hassan Rouhani to Abe.

The Japanese prime minister welcomed continuation of political consultations between the two countries.

Araghchi said that Iran will return to full implementation of the JCPOA if sanctions are lifted.

U.S. President Donald Trump quit the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, in May 2018 and introduced the harshest ever sanctions on Iran.

After waiting for a full year, Iran said its “strategic patience” is over and started to gradually reduce its commitments to the nuclear deal in response to the U.S. moves.

So far, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has taken four steps to cut back commitments in accordance to paragraph 36 of the JCPOA which “allows one side, under certain circumstances, to stop complying with the deal if the other side is out of compliance.”

Iran has repeatedly said if the European parties to the nuclear deal shield its economy from the U.S. sanctions it will reverse its decisions.

‘Cooperation is needed more than ever’

In a separate meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Araghchi said that the Middle East region is in a volatile situation and cooperation is needed more than ever.

Motegi said that Japan will make more diplomatic efforts to help reduce tension in the region.

NA/PA