TEHRAN - Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that visits to Tehran and Tokyo by the officials from Iran and Japan show the strength of relations between the two countries.

During a conference at Tehran University, he said that President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled to pay a one-day visit to Japan on December 20 in response to a Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s trip to Iran in June.

“Rouhani’s visit to Japan will be one-day and in continuation of the two countries’ national interests. We should not expect something special to happen. Diplomatic visits are constant and are not in a way that a special result achieve by just one move. Hundreds of meetings should be held to reach a result,” he said.  

He noted that economic obstacles have impeded expansion of ties.

“However, the basis of relations is in a way that the ties continue despite pressure and sanctions,” added Araqchi who was Iran’s ambassador to Tokyo….. 

Rouhani’s visit to Japan will be the first visit by an Iranian president since October 2000.

In an interview with NHK published on December 7, Araghchi said that Japan is an economic partner and provider of technology to Iran, which has always been one of Japan’s major oil suppliers.

Araghchi added Iran wants to maintain the same positive relationship with Japan and hinted at a possible resumption of oil exports.

Araghchi and Abe met in Tokyo on December 3 during which Abe said that Japan still supports the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the JCPOA.

Araqchi submitted a written message from Rouhani to Abe during the visit.

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

Abe visited Iran in June as the first Japanese leader since 1978. He was carrying a message from U.S. President Donald Trump to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for talks with Tehran. The Leader, while praising Japan’s sincerity, said Trump is not worthy of exchanging messages with.

‘Japanese companies are still in Iran’

Japan’s Ambassador to Tehran Mitsugu Saito said in a speech at the conference that the Japanese companies are still in Iran and are hopeful about the future of Iran.

Pointing to Rouhani’s visit to Japan, Saito said that it is expected that the visit will help expansion of ties.

He noted that Abe is making efforts to play a role in helping regional stability.

NA/PA